Tiger Times Volume 52 Issue 5

Tiger Times February

Volume 52

Issue 5

ttonl.org

E N Y E A N E H O P E S T A R What will happen next? the world opens up to new changes and opportunities as the new year of 2021 arrives

W R W ?

T

2 Editorial America is a crowded theatre.

Trump yelled fire. by

Brian Ham & Eric Hwang editors-in-chief

January usually marks the transition into a new era of presidential reign, but 2021 found the US still tormented by the demons of the past regime. The violent end to Donald Trump’s administration was followed by the second impeachment trial of his short-lived political career, which ended with the same fate as the first: acquittal by the Senate. In defense of Trump’s contributions to the Capitol insurrection, his lawyers claimed that the former president was simply exercising his First Amendment rights and conviction would amount to unlawful censorship.

Trump’s legal defense has apparently forgotten, however, that not all speech is created equal: in other words, not all speech is protected under the First Amendment. In 1919, the landmark Supreme Court case Schenck v. United States declared that the First Amendment does not protect speech that creates a “clear and present danger.” This ruling has henceforth created a legal precedent known as the “clear and present danger test.” This test states that if a form of speech creates an imminent threat to society or incites criminal behavior, the speech can and should be legally punished. Essentially, if an individual were to incite a violent stampede by crying out “Fire!” in a crowded theater, they would be legally punishable for their words, despite their First Amendment rights.

The question is, then, did President Trump’s rhetoric create a clear and present danger to society? The answer is unequivocally yes. When insurrectionists stormed the capital, the rioters were holding Trump’s flag, quoting Trump’s inflammatory words, and echoing Trump’s erratic conspiracies. When asked, they declared they were inspired by and marching for “their President.” On Jan. 6, before the riots began in earnest, Trump delivered an incendiary speech at a rally that many of the insurrectionists attended, goading them onward and blessing their attack with his presidential approval. Even after he was informed that Vice President Mike Pence was being escorted away from a violent crowd chanting to “Hang Pence,” Trump added fuel to the flame by immediately tweeting a vicious criticism of his Vice President. Every step of the way, President Trump’s words directly—and often knowingly—fostered the violence that ensued on the US Capitol.

The misguided First Amendment defense has not only been used to falsely justify President Trump’s rhetoric, but also that of the extreme right in general. Conspiracies like QAnon—a fanatical theory that promises vengeful retribution against a supposedly satanic, pedophilic “deep state” led by liberal elites—have protested censorship by sites like Twitter as a violation of their free speech rights. Fans of the far-right platform “Parler” cited the First Amendment defense to condemn the site’s removal from both Android and Apple play stores, as well as a suspension by Amazon’s web hosting service, after the platform did not adequately counter posts inciting violence at the Capitol.

The extreme right and Tiger Times agree on one thing: America has a free speech problem.

But whereas the far right claims that the issue is a supposedly systemic “suppression” of rightwing free speech, we, the editorial board of Tiger Times, believe that the problem is a fundamental misunderstanding of what “free speech” really means. Free speech is not a blanket statement.

Trump’s riot-inducing rhetoric is impeachable and violence-instigating QAnon theories are not protected by the First Amendment. America is a crowded theater, and Trump yelled fire.

Let yourself be heard. If you have any responses to articles published in the Tiger Times or original contributions, please send them to tigertimes@gmail.com

VIEWPOINT

Discerning politics from play on social media

A

few weeks ago, Bernie Sanders’s mittens became an issue of interest ever since he wore the viral hand warmers to President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Many social media users took to online platforms to express their liking toward Sanders’s casual inauguration outfit. In recent years, there has been a growing number of political movements, campaigns, and events that revolve around the usage of social media. Allowing direct communication between politicians and their followers, outlets such as Twitter and Instagram enable public figures to articulate their thoughts on everything from policy to their everyday lives. Not only that, through social media, civilians are also able to convey their opinions about important political issues of the day while managing to reach a global audience.

Despite its merits, however, social media can often take away from the core of significant political events. Ultimately, due to the fact that social media is a platform in which people seek entertainment, serious issues can be misconstrued as lighthearted.

Within an era defined by the increasing significance of social media, how much of its role is truly beneficial in facilitating fruitful debates within the world of politics? As with the mittens incident, sometimes, we are swept away by the entertaining elements of social media and not given enough room to consider the pressing problems that plague our society. Therefore, we should be making an effort to effectively differentiate Gen Z’s social media antics from real problems and momentous political events.

Of course, it is impossible to ignore

the perks of social media. It is arguably the most efficient way to send a powerful message in this day and age. Social media allows people of different backgrounds to come together as one and connect over their similarities, creating solidarity especially for groups of minorities who do not have others to confide in during times of trouble. Additionally, Bernie Sanders recently took advantage of his sensational mitten incident and used social media to promote mitten merchandise, which he used to raise money to donate to a charity. Like this, social media can be used to efficiently increase public consciousness surrounding large issues and make actual change.

On the contrary, the usage of social media can quickly get out of hand, and it is easy to lose sight of the initial goal. These available communicative measures online should be used to facilitate productive conversations, but instead, we are caught in a loop of scrolling through funny memes poking fun at political figures rather than trying to inspire real change by educating ourselves on these important topics. It is not uncommon for us to see clips online laughing at former President Donald Trump or creating fan edits of US representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Also, people often form their own judgments on politicians on the basis of how active they appear to be online rather than gaining an understanding of the bills they pass and the policies they support. In fact, it is quite evident that rather than viewing politicians as world leaders, many netizens treat them the same way they would actors or singers, idolizing them or forcing them to be the

Relax about new College Board decisions On Jan. 20, students were shocked to hear that College Board, home to the most essential standardized tests for American colleges and universities, announced that they would be dropping the SAT II, or the SAT subject tests, along with the optional essay portion of the SAT I. This change will be reflected immediately, with the US May and June tests being modified and international tests following suit after June. As the SATs are crucial to a student’s journey to college, this came as happy news to some, while others were devastated that their efforts had been wasted. While impacts of these decisions will surely be felt immediately, it is important to deliberate upon the effect this change will have in the college application process.

With the disappearance of the SAT II, the niche previously filled by the SAT II is now vacant, resulting in diverse speculations regarding how this may be reallocated. The most popular narrative circulating SIS is an increased emphasis on AP test scores, as they are the primary quantifiable and standardized way to measure an applicant’s knowledge in a specific subject. Students were, however, concerned that this change may be to their disadvantage: whereas subject tests that can easily be retaken and do not require

as much preparation, AP tests are content-packed and require a year’s learning, not to mention that the test only takes place once a year.

However, before stressing over said change, students must reexamine the credibility of these rumors. Most likely stemming from hagwons and tutors, these rumors are likely spread from sources with a monetary vested interest in creating a greater emphasis on studying for the AP tests. The primary motivations of these institutions are to profit off of desperate students, hence why this situation is being exploited to increase PR for their AP test preparation programs. Students are being fooled by their campaign strategies, which results in nothing more than stress.

However, SIS’ college counselor Kelcey Edwards presented a different viewpoint, one that students may not have considered.

“This is solely a business decision [on the part of College Board],” Ms. Edwards said.

“These tests declined in usage for the past 20 years, and colleges stopped looking at them at one point without revealing it to the public. The announcement was made weeks ago, but the change started years ago.”

Indeed, both tests were repealed for a reason: the SAT Essay, for instance, was repealed because of the lack of credibility.

punchline to a joke.

The effects of these memes are not as simple a matter as a mere laugh one gets during their lunch break. It affects how we think about serious matters in the current day. With an avalanche of funny Tweets and TikToks posted about the current issues each passing day, these substantial issues are glossed over because they are seen through a joking lens rather than a serious one, which can eventually be the instigator of paths to greater issues. For instance, had the internet solemnly addressed Trump’s fake news tweets instead of making jokes about them online, would the riots at the Capitol have occurred on that historic day in January? In this way, the overuse of social media to represent political events can be extremely paradoxical.

The recent inauguration of President Joe Biden entailed so much more than just Bernie Sanders’ brown mittens. Although the knits were admittedly cute, rather than focusing on these minuscule details with no meaningful impacts in the present political climate, we should concentrate on the new policies that are coming with the Biden administration, such as relief bills, the fight against climate change, and other significant issues of our time. While social media can be a way for us to make a change, it often pulls us away from that very point.

In order to avoid the detriments of this and utilize it to the best of our abilities, we must collectively figure out how to distinguish politics from play.

BY: Sarah Ju Junior, Copy Editor As College Board took almost two years to publish a validity study for their essay, around 299 out of 300 colleges that originally required it had no choice but to repeal it. Thus, since 2017 when the essay began, until the admissions of the Class of 2021, reality is that essays never played a role in admissions. As for subject tests, with around 400,000 students taking the tests every year, College Board had a steady testing population—until COVID-19 hit.

An approximate 50% decrease was shown in the Class of 2020, and shockingly, for the Class of 2021, the number was not even close to 100,000. For comparison, there are 2.2 million students who take the SAT I every year. Therefore, many colleges who were on the verge of changing their policy to test-blind did so, and no school was left requiring the subject tests even during 2021 applications. Therefore, from the college perspective, nothing really changed, and adjustments to more weighted areas were already made simply without the knowledge of the public.

Now with the essay and subject tests gone, students must question where to allocate their leftover time. Korean students, mechanized to fit the social pressure of constant testing, will most likely opt towards more tests or competitions to show their aptitude in academics.

This, however, is again an inefficient use of time. Colleges already know that applicants from SIS attend a school for academically gifted students who score well on most tests, for which they do not need more numerical proof. What one needs to prove, however, is that their qualities and traits match what colleges are looking for.

The freed hours could instead be spent on developing character and differentiating oneself from other candidates. In the end, colleges aspire to nurture young minds to grow into capable contributors to society, not machines programmed to take multiple tests a month.

BY: Emily Sung Junior, Copy Editor

Tiger Times

February 2021

3

Tiger Times Staff

Tiger Times Tiger Times exercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation, and world. We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services, is obscene, libelous, or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.

Volume 52 Issue 5 February Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org a free publication of

Seoul International School

Paper Editors-In-Chief Brian Ham Eric Hwang Website Editors-in-Chief Christopher Shin Joanne Yang

Paper Managing Editor Jiwon Lee Website Managing Editor Jenny Seo Production Editors Emily Oh Eddie Hahm

Layout Artists Ashley Kim Clara Lim Jasmine Jeong Copy Editors Rosa Suh Sarah Ju Emily Sung Skylar Peck Hugo Lee

Reporters Rachel Yoon Bona Suh Hannah Kim Sunny Lee Minjae Chun Jennifer Kwon Erin J. Choi Jordan Kim Katherine Suk Katie Kim Isabelle Lee

Irene Kim Jack Lee Aimee Choi Alice Lee Woojune Kim Jennifer You Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant

Viewpoint Feature: Non-varsity student athletes at SIS do not receive the same support as KAIAC competitors. It is time for that to change.

How does the school attendance policy prevent non-KAIAC athletes from pursuing their athletic passions to their fullest potential?

How can SIS help more students achieve their non-academic goals?

Giving non-KAIAC athletes a chance Cold wind bit through my face as I sped down the ski slope in minus 30 degrees weather, zipping through the gates and passing the finish line. At 47 seconds flat, I was at the top of the podium. My chest swelled up with pride; I had successfully represented my school with my medal finish. But when I returned to school the next day, my only acknowledgement was my PowerSchool, which read “ten absences;” I was now just a few days away from violating the school attendance policy, after which I would not receive credit for my courses.

Without a doubt, SIS wholeheartedly endorses its school athletes. Every game a varsity athlete or team wins makes the headlines on the bulletin board and athletes are showered with kudos. Adorning their bright orange “Tigers” uniforms, varsity athletes are clearly recognized as representatives of the school. But another group of athletes—the non-KAIAC athletes pursuing sports careers outside of varsity teams—are not as well supported or acknowledged as the school athletes. These athletes devote enormous effort into their careers and compete in the name of the school; yet, they are marked as absent and warned about their proximity to violating the school attendance policy. When they do transcend the school attendance policy as potential careers often compel them to, non-KAIAC athletes cannot receive credit for the courses they are taking no matter how academically committed they are. In many cases, these athletes are obliged by the policy to decide between pursuing their passions or staying at SIS. While it is indeed part of the school’s job to urge students to consider whether they will pursue an academic or athletic path if they are struggling to keep up with both, there are many more benefits if non-KAIAC athletes can successfully pursue both academic and athletic careers. By exempting serious athletes from the current attendance policy or providing

them with a more lenient attendance policy, SIS would be able to support their hopes more effectively and give them a chance to successfully alternate between both the rigorous academic curriculum of the school and their demanding aspirations. This would not only benefit athletes but also the school as well, as its alumni will not only be limited to academically outstanding students but also talented athletes.

First of all, encouraging athletes to pursue their hopes by exempting them from the attendance policy would allow athletes to exhibit improved performance in sporting events and eventually bring the school glory. Often, the attendance policy prevents athletes from participating in the many competitions that competitive sports demand of them. For example, a skier will rarely have enough days to participate in the bare minimum of competitions necessary to qualify them for the National Ski Team.

Excelling in the competitions and reaching the top of the podium is also an entirely different story to which the attendance policy poses an even greater obstacle. Before competitions, athletes must warm up through practice sessions for a few days before their races or games. With the strict attendance policy, athletes do not have any days to spare for any such warm-ups; therefore, even if they can participate in competitions, their performance is severely hampered. Easing the attendance policy would allow athletes more opportunities to prepare for their competitions beforehand and boost their performance, which would translate into achievements that would distinguish the school in the long run. Moreover, this success in sports would be a significant boost and supplement to the athletes’ college resumés, meaning encouraging non-KAIAC athletes to pursue their aspirations by allowing them an exemption to the attendance policy would work in favor of SIS’s impressive record of

sending their alumni into prestigious colleges, not against it is as some may assume.

One major argument made against allowing non-KAIAC athletes to be exempted from the attendance policy while school athletes are exempted under “school function” is that the school athletes are participating in a non-academic course in which students are not merely competing but also practicing critical social skills of building relationships with their teammates. But the reality is that non-KAIAC athletes are also engaging in rich learning experiences as they compete at a higher level and develop necessary life skills as they take on the challenging task of alternating between SIS’s rigorous academic courses and their competitive athletic activities. Most evidently, non-KAIAC athletes are engaging in just as rich a social learning experience as they also interact with athletes from a wide variety of backgrounds—sometimes from all over the world, rather than just Asia, when they participate in global sporting events. Moreover, the task of alternating between competitive sports and SIS’s demanding academic curriculum fosters the development of critical life skills in non-KAIAC athletes. Keeping up with both school and a competitive sports is no easy task and accordingly, non-KAIAC athletes are compelled to refine their skills in time management, maintaining focus, and careful planning of schedules to incorporate adequate time for both studying and practicing their sport. In the end, a non-KAIAC athlete is participating in an equally diversified and unique non-academic course and deserves to be exempted from the attendance policy under “school function” just as much as school athletes.

Aside from considering whether nonKAIAC athletes deserve to be exempted under school function, it is worth noting that compelling a non-KAIAC athlete to choose between pursuing a strictly academic or

athletic path after violating the attendance policy, especially at such a young age, may cause instability and uncertainty in the athlete’s future if he/she chooses to pursue the latter. The chances of succeeding as an athlete are extremely slim as only the best of the best athletes can become qualified professionals capable of making a living out of their sport. As a result, a solid educational foundation offered by SIS’s rigorous academic program is a critical insurance measure against a potential and, frankly, likely failure the athlete could experience in his/ her athletic career. Education offers a flexible platform from which athletes can build up a new career in the case that they fail to reach career expectations in sports.

As of now, SIS supports its non-KAIAC athletes by helping them find a new school more lenient and suitable for competitive athletes once they violate the school day attendance policy and can no longer continue attending SIS. But the simple question persists: Why should SIS bar itself from having more diversified alumni and making more dreams come true? SIS should at least give their non-KAIAC athletes a chance to prove themselves capable before urging them to let go of their athletic aspirations or sending them off to sports-centered schools.

Allowing prospective athletes to pursue both their academic and athletic dreams will help achieve SIS’s goal to “develop students’ intellectual, creative, moral, physical and emotional abilities to their fullest.” Exempting or loosening the attendance policy for nonKAIAC athletes is a pivotal step to take SIS closer to fulfilling this vision.

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

4

SCHOOL NEWS

News Briefs

New resources for AP Research students

Recently, new databases have become temporarily available for AP Research students at SIS, one of which is Factiva. Aside from its main focus on business news, it offers information on topics such as politics, current events, and trends. Similarly, qualitative coding programs have also been added to assist students who need more technology-based resources. As research projects are centered on the specific investigation of one topic, it is imperative to make the most useful databases available to students to make the research process easier.

“In the database world, there are databases that we currently subscribe to that are broader and cover a lot of topics,” said Tim Gardes, head librarian at SIS. “We have been focusing on the big ones because they can help students with a lot of different topics, no matter what class they are for.

However, classes like AP Research have a need for specialized databases because their research is much more in-depth. That is why we are figuring out whether these types of databases would be useful to a variety of students based on the different types of research they do.”

HSSC Gingerbread house event

The HSSC hosted the Gingerbread house event for all grade levels on Jan. 29.

The council had been trying to organize the activity since early December, but due to COVID restrictions, it was difficult to pinpoint an exact date. To comply with social distancing measures, freshmen and sophomores, who were physically at school, would be able to participate together, while upperclassmen would be given the chance to get supplies from the school gate and make the houses at home.

Multiple teams were able to gather in the Atrium and participate in the event, including both students and teachers alike.

“As students may know from the thousands of emails, we had to make many drastic changes due to the constant change in school plans,” said Steven Chung (12), member of the HSSC. “We anticipated that all grade levels would be able to participate offline due to the hybrid schedule. Although we really wanted to have people participate on campus, due to circumstances, we could only give that opportunity to the freshmen and sophomores.”

Going back to hybrid learning

After almost a month of complete virtual learning, students are going back to school on a hybrid learning schedule. It was announced that two grade levels in the high school would be allowed to go back to school for six consecutive days, while after-school activities would still be limited. The last time any high school students were allowed to go back to school was before the winter break in December.

“I think the new schedule change is extremely tiresome,” said Yenna Ko (10), student at SIS. “Of course, the benefit of actually going to school physically is that concentration increases and more quality work is produced. However, the new schedule change takes away hours from my sleep, which is connected to my performance in class.”

BY: Rachel Yoon Sophomore, Reporter

SIS clubs take on donation project

In the coming weeks, SIS high school clubs will participate in a collaborative charitable donation project due to many clubs expressing interest. At the beginning of each year, the school provides clubs with funds to assist in initiating their activities. This year, however, all clubs will come together to donate some of this money to a few causes of their choice. Based on the results of a survey issued to club executives on Jan. 13, SIS has decided to contribute a total of 5 million won to Ansan Vincent’s Clinic, Save Korean Dogs, World Vision Korea, Korean Unwed Mothers Families Association, and Chungwoon Welfare Center.

“This is the first time we are doing this kind of project,” Jonathan Ames, Athletics and Activities Director, said. “We figured that we should give all our clubs the opportunity to donate to a shared cause, especially during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is a lot of need out there.”

Last February, the outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korea caused SIS to convert to an entirely virtual learning system.

Many club activities were halted, and more than half of the club funds were left unspent by the end of the school year. After SIS switched to a hybrid online-offline system, this school year has seen the resumption of club activities, with students participating both in person and online on their on-campus and off-campus days, respectively. Nonetheless, the pandemic persists, and students have indicated interest in working to reduce the burden of the situation—by means of donations—on those who have been most affected by it.

“I nominated Ansan Vincent’s clinic,” Brian Lee (11), SIS Medical Society executive member, said. “I thought that this clinic, which provides medical service to only uninsured foreign immigrant

workers who cannot afford to go to hospitals, needed the one million won donation the most. Lately, due to the COVID-19 situation, it has been even harder for these people to get proper medical care.

I think this donation project is a terrific idea. During these times, when not much active community service can be done, this project would be extremely beneficial to those in need.”

This new project is pertinent to SIS’s mission, which, according to its website, is to develop “inquisitive, independent thinkers and collaborative learners, who acquire the essential knowledge necessary to be caring and creative contributors to the world around them.” In addition to allowing students to uplift causes and communities they care about, the project will foster their growth as global citizens. However, some clubs have already planned how to use the funds they were granted at the beginning of the school year.

Therefore, such clubs that have documented purposes for their use of the money will have the option to opt out of the project.

“I am very glad and satisfied that our school is contributing to a good cause in such hard times,” Lauren Kim (10), Giving Hands Club executive member, said.

“Our club wants to solve issues in the community directly around us here in Korea and provide hope to children in need, so we nominated World Vision, an organization that sponsors children. In the past, I think most of our donations came from the money that students raised, so I immediately decided to participate upon hearing that the school was stepping forward this time. I think that by introducing this project, the school is setting a good example for students to follow.”

BY: Skylar Peck Sophomore, Copy Editor

Classes utilize different digital platforms Nearly a full year has passed since the coronavirus pandemic swept across the world and SIS first adopted the virtual learning system. Since then, teachers and students alike have found ways to adapt to the virtual setting.

Students have sought methods to stay on task amid all the distractions from schoolwork, while teachers have developed a variety of means to ensure academic integrity during online tests, engage students, and convey class material as effectively as possible. Moreover, teachers have started utilizing different online platforms to maximize the potential of online learning.

“I use Clever.com, which is a website that allows you to gather all the applications you use in class, such as Moodle, Google Classroom, and the school

website, all in one place,” said Tyge Shelby, physical education teacher. “Usually, elementary school students utilize this platform often because it saves you the hassle of having to enter all the passwords every time you log in by saving all your passwords in one place. We started using this application at the beginning of the semester along with Downdog, which allows students to customize workouts for themselves. Although we still need to figure out some issues, once we get it working properly, it is going to make our lives easier.”

Even before the pandemic, students and teachers relied heavily on computers to get their tasks done. For instance, many assignments were assigned and submitted via Google Classroom.

However, as virtual platforms

became the only available media to convey and obtain information during the pandemic, the need to explore different websites or applications has increased.

There are pros and cons to each and every website. Students can utilize a variety of websites so that the advantages of one can compensate for the downsides of another. Finding the balance between using enough to increase the efficiency of virtual learning and using too much to the point that the purpose of each website becomes confusing is a skill many teachers have been able to obtain during this period. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends and all schools operate fully in person, these different platforms can also be brought into in-person classrooms.

“I definitely had to utilize

more platforms and figure out an entirely different way to teach and effectively let students showcase what they have learned at home on a performance spectrum,” said Ms.Meininger.

“Before Covid, students would use professional equipment at school to record their audios.

However, we had to find out how to let students record their voices with their phones, which does not produce the quality comparable to professional pieces of equipment. When we return to normalcy, we would not use such online platforms at the scale we are doing now, but for at-home practices, the platforms we discovered during this period of time would be useful.”

BY: Sunny Lee Junior, Reporter Photo by Jennifer Kwon (10)

Tiger Times

February 2021

5

INVESTIGATIVE journalism

E

Exploring misconceptions of the club executive selections

veryday, from 1:10 to 1:40 p.m., groups of students with similar interests and passions sacrifice their activity periods to bustle into different rooms. During this short span of time, students gather to attend meetings for various clubs—ranging from volunteer services clubs to academic honor societies. These student-led clubs are an integral aspect of students’ lives at SIS because individuals are given the opportunity not only to pursue their passions but also to hold leadership positions. In order to serve as an executive member of a club, however, individuals must undergo a competitive selection process where advisors and senior executives evaluate their dedication to the organization, competency, and leadership potential. However, much of the behind-the-stage action in the club executive selection process still remains in the dark. In an effort to illuminate the reality of the status quo, members of the administration, current students and advisors, and alumni were interviewed, and an anonymous survey of the high school student body was conducted—recording approximately 60 responses.

Extensive investigation into the intricate club executive selection process yielded startling results: various issues exist in the current executive selection processes, yet students have feasible solutions to these problems that could be voiced.

To begin with, the investigation showed that certain rules and guidelines should be clarified. For one, the school guidelines require advisors to have the final say in the selection process in order to ensure that leadership selection does not become quid pro quo, as noted by SIS Activities Director Jonathan Ames. To further bolster transparency and fairness of the executive selection process, the administration has incorporated the “by-law system”—which mandates clubs to publicize information on the club’s purpose, executive structure, and application process— starting this school year. In addition, the school only allows an individual to hold up to one “top” executive position, which refers to the president position in a hierarchical executive structure or any executive position in a non-hierarchical one such as the executive managing officer, accountability officer, and communications officer within the National Honor Society. This policy, according to the administration, was created to spread out leadership opportunities to a larger number of the student body.

However, students’ perceptions of the club executive selection processes often conflict with these regulations currently in place. While school guidelines place much emphasis on advisors’ input in the selection processes, the student body survey found that most students believed that relationships with advisors are less important than factors such as relationships with current executives, merit points, and interviews. Furthermore, despite adopting the by-law system, the survey revealed that 56 percent of students rated the executive selection process as either ‘not very transpar-

ent’ or ‘not transparent.’ Regarding the hard cap on top executive positions, 40 percent of students were unaware of the policy. Among those accurately informed, many expressed strong discontent with the cap. “The most qualified individual should be chosen. Whether or not the best candidate has another ‘top’ position should not factor into the decision,” said one student. “I feel like everyone should have a chance, but not at the expense of others,” said another.

When asked about the degree of subjectivity of the executive selection process, 75 percent of students reported that the process is either ‘subjective’ or ‘somewhat subjective’.

However, the presence of subjective opinion does not hinder a just selection process. Recognizing this, 72 percent of students still rated the process as either ‘fair’ or ‘somewhat fair’.

Eju Ro, alumna and former editor-in-chief of the Tiger Times, aptly described the complex relationship between subjectivity and fairness in executive selections: “The process is subjective. However, senior executives make collective decisions, meaning one biased opinion can only go so far. Also, most seniors wish to leave a strong legacy behind for their club where they devoted their high school years.”

Deeper investigation into the status quo, however, showed that reality differs from both the students’ perceptions and school guidelines. Current policies place greater weight on advisors’ opinions while students viewed advisors’ influence as minimal. Yet, interviews with students and advisors from various clubs showed that the amount of advisor input is, in fact, drastically different from club to club. In the National Honor Society club, the advisor Mr. Macklin chooses the club’s executives without any input from senior executives.

“Since all members of the NHS have strong academics and their participation in the club is public, sitting executives do not add much besides their personal preference, so I do not get their input on the decision anymore,” said Mr. Macklin.

Similarly, Andy Yoon, alumnus and former editor-in-chief of Tiger Times, stated that in some clubs, advisors would dominate the decision making process to a degree that some executives felt like advisors were “intervening too much into a student-led process.” On the other hand, in certain clubs, advisors have minimal input in the executive selections, merely moderating as senior executives collectively make a decision. According to Eju, at Kaleidoscope, the advisors simply oversaw the executive selection, leaving much of the decision to seniors. Likewise, at Mu Alpha Theta, senior executives have strong input in the selection process. “We value senior executives’ opinions greatly, and we put much responsibility on them; the advisors are just there to support,” said Mindi Harman, advisor of Mu Alpha Theta. In other words, students’ assumptions that advisors wield minimal influence within clubs’ executive selection process is not always true.

In both interviews and surveys, students advocated the

dire need for more transparency within the executive selection process. The administration and advisors also seemed to concur, as can also be seen by the school’s continuous devotion to ensure greater transparency of club executive selection processes. “Transparency is an important piece of any group structure; people want to know why decisions are made,” remarked Ms. Harman. However, one must note that transparency could become a double edged sword. As Mr. Macklin contended, the flip side of transparency is exposure and humiliation for some, since people often look to judge those who did not get a leadership position more than those who did. One must also take into consideration that ensuring complete transparency could essentially transform the executive selection process into a checklist where students will try to fulfill the expectations of executives and advisors, instead of generating new and creative ideas; clubs need to select the most fit executive, not the most skilled “applicant.”

Now knowing the inconsistencies in the club executive selection process, what is the next course of action? Should streamlined guidelines be adopted? Despite the numerous discrepancies, one size fits all regulations is not the solution to the problems at hand. Clubs at SIS range from academic honor society clubs to magazine organizations, and each of them possesses a different set of goals and attracts a varied group of people. Hence, streamlined regulations would fail to accommodate the fact that these clubs value different characteristics and skill sets for their executives. As Mr. Macklin stated, “while there is some capacity for oversight, at some point, we have to be able to trust the advisors and the students to respect the order that we have all agreed upon.” Nevertheless, students’ discontent with a general lack of transparency and policies limiting leadership positions should be addressed. Students, advisors, and the administration need to work cooperatively to find a middleground. If anything, the survey and interviews demonstrated that students not only possess strong opinions regarding the club executive selection process but also have various possible reforms in mind. Even from the 60 responses gathered from the student body, there were a plethora of viable solutions for the issue at hand. Whether it be limiting the number of senior executive officers, increasing the number of “top” executive positions each individual can hold, or mandating more transparency from clubs, the list goes on. Small but meaningful changes that accommodate the concerns of students, advisors, and the administration can go a long way. At the end of the day, building toward a club environment where all students can pursue their passion and reach their fullest potential is the collective goal of all parties.

BY: Jordan Kim Sophomore, Reporter

C H I A L B D U S E Layout by Eddie Hahm

The omnipresent taboo:

addressing child abuse in South Korea

Jung-in was smiling in the picture— her eyes shaped like crescent moons, the spark of innocence lingering in her pupils. It was hard not to grin at the naive joy plastered on her face. Yet in a couple of months, Jung-in would be experiencing suffering beyond her years, an unimaginable pain rooted in the hands of her adoptive parents and a system that failed to recognize her tragic story.

Recently, news of the 16-month-old Jung-in being abused to death by her parents stirred rage among South Koreans. Unfortunately, Jung-in’s case is not unusual in the larger scope of child abuse in the country. For example, on June 3, 2020, a nine-year-old boy passed away after suffering from cardiac arrest due to his stepmother trapping him in a suitcase for seven hours. On Sept. 26, 2019, a five-year-old boy passed away because his stepfather had tied him up and beaten him for approximately 20 hours.

Within the last five years, 132 children in South Korea have died because of parental abuse alone. Although child maltreatment has led to many deaths, only a handful of those cases have been openly investigated by the media.

According to Article 12 of the Child Abuse Punishment Act, perpetrators of child abuse and the victim should be separated immediately, or the child should be sent to a protection agency. Nevertheless, there are problems with the existing protocol. The process of “immediately” separating the child from the perpetra-

tor usually takes one to four years. Furthermore, even though the Ministry of Welfare identifies that parents are the offenders in 80 percent of child abuse cases, 81 percent of 22,367 cases have ended with the victim being sent back to the family. Between 1998 and 2016, merely a quarter of convicted child abusers were sent to prison; most received minimal suspensions or fines. If a child who has reported an abuser goes back under the care of the same abuser, then the child will likely be subject to extreme wrath and possibly more violence.

While citizens of Western countries usually express support for victims who share their stories of child abuse, South Koreans attach a stigma to those who come forward about such experiences.

Since Confucianist ideologies are deeply engraved in Korean society and culture, children or younger members of groups are always expected to respect their elders, regardless of the scenario. Therefore, when a child speaks out against an adult, even if it is due to legitimate injustices, many South Koreans view the child as “impolite.” This emphasis on being polite extends to matters such as child maltreatment. Some authorities, including policemen, consider it “rude” to interfere in another family’s business.

Additionally, the prevalence of “ppalippali” (hurry-hurry) culture in South Korea directly causes publicity surrounding issues in the news to fade away quickly.

Moreover, South Korea has a history of

tolerance toward physical violence. In fact, corporal punishment was common in schools until 20 years ago and remains lawful in the home except in Seoul.

“Yet in a couple of months, Jung-in would be experiencing suffering beyond her years, an unimaginable pain rooted in the hands of her adoptive parents and a system that failed to recognize her tragic story.”

The taboo of addressing child abuse has significant ramifications. Evidence indicates that children subject to maltreatment bear physical and emotional scars that reflect in their behavior. For instance, research published in volume 26 of the Journal of Interpersonal Violence concludes that for South Korean college students, childhood abuse is a predictor of involvement in violent dating relationships. Dating violence is a significant matter in South Korea as well, with more than 71.1 percent of 4,000 women having experienced it. Another study documented in BMC Psychiatry presents that child maltreatment is a risk factor for non-suicidal self-injury.

Nonetheless, the deafening silence that once met the issue of child abuse in

South Korea is gradually turning into a whisper. Around July 2020, the South Korean government announced its plan to revoke Article 915 of South Korea’s Civil Act, which states that a “person of parental authority may, in order to protect or educate his or her child, take necessary disciplinary action against the child.” In addition, after Jung-in’s cause of death was exposed by an investigative television program called “Unanswered Questions,” the hashtag “#I’mSorryJung-in” began trending across multiple social media platforms. Numerous South Koreans signed petitions and wrote letters to the government, urging for Jung-in’s abuser to receive harsher penalties. The government’s decision to initiate legal reform and the united action citizens took against Jung-in’s abuser display that South Korea is somewhat ready to confront the taboo surrounding child abuse.

Progress is like an avalanche: once one boulder falls, the rest follow. South Korea was just hit by the first boulder of progress, which has ignited a monumental conversation on the subject of child maltreatment. From here on, South Korean children can only hope that Korean society will continuously tackle this sensitive topic to ensure better protective measures against child abuse.

BY: Katie Kim Sophomore, Reporter

A pandemic of violence:

child abuse in the era of COVID

Exceeding 100 million cases and reaching a global death toll of 2.16 million, COVID-19 has been spreading nonstop.

With the rise of the pandemic, the National Institutes of Health has discovered that more children have been staying home with families, putting them at increased risk for child abuse. Even though many countries are planning to begin vaccinations in the next few months, the continued unpredictability of COVID-19 suggests that the pandemic will not be easily stopped, meaning children stuck at home will continue to face elevated risks of abuse for the foreseeable future.

In response to the intensifying risk, UNICEF has identified several causes of neglect and abuse that have been exacerbated or heightened by the pandemic, such as the absence of nutritious meals provided by schools and a breakdown in routines for children. Among this list of abuse-conductive factors identified by UNICEF, the most significant is frustration caused by unemployment and caregiving burdens for children, especially those with special needs.

Before the spread of COVID-19, unemployment had already been a significant contributor to child abuse. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), economic instability such as job loss and debt places considerable strain on family relationships,

swelling the risk for child abuse as stress accumulates. However, following the pandemic, businesses have shut down and consumer spending has shrunk, leading to higher unemployment rates.

As mentioned by the NCBI, losing a job is already psychologically burdensome, but now with less social support due to lack of social interactions amidst the pandemic, unemployed individuals are facing even higher levels of stress than before. Consequently, the growing economic crisis has created psychological struggles that are placing greater strain between families and children, leaving the latter more vulnerable to domestic violence.

“According to News Medical, 250,000 cases of child abuse may have gone unreported in the US due to the COVID pandemic.”

The pandemic has also exacerbated the risks that disabled children face in regards to child abuse. Before the pandemic, disabled children were already high-risk targets of abuse. According to the US Children’s Bureau, children with disabilities are approximately three times more likely to be abused

than those without disabilities because families frustrated by the disabilities of their children often turn to violence instead of adequate childcare. However, as the pandemic is putting more stress on families, children with disabilities have faced even greater risks for exploitation.

For example, disabled children, especially girls, are disproportionately more vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse when they are kept home. Distressed in quarantine, more families also tend to use dysfunctional coping mechanisms such as drinking alcohol. This causes them to become more careless, thereby making them more likely to neglect and isolate disabled children. Furthermore, disabled children are often at an increased risk of experiencing more severe mental problems when confined at home. Overwhelmed by their children’s disability, some parents struggle to maintain their ability to take care of their children and turn to violence instead. Particularly during lockdown when visits from nonfamily members are banned, there is also less chance for children exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation to be quickly detected.

Due to COVID, child abuse is happening at higher rates all over the world. For example, according to News Medical, 250,000 cases of child abuse may have gone unreported in the US due to the

COVID pandemic. But besides the US, countries such as Uganda are also struggling to control child abuse following the pandemic. One case involved a child named Ronald in Wakiso, Uganda in which Ronald’s mother gave him a severe head wound for failing to feed his family’s cows on time. However, because he was not being able to contact the local council chairman due to lockdown policies, Ronald was not able to receive the immediate support he needed.

Because more children have faced sexual and mental abuse, governments are taking necessary protocols to protect atrisk children. In response, many humanitarian organizations have established programs to combat child mistreatment.

For example, UNICEF has built upon initiatives in place to protect vulnerable children with medicine, education, and food supplies. Even as the pandemic continues, organizations besides UNICEF such as the UN have announced that they will restore child services as soon as lockdown measures wind down, encouraging the public to take practicable measures as well.

BY: Jack Lee Sophomore, Reporter

8

GLOBAL NEWS

News Briefs

Housing bubble in South Korea raises concerns

As more South Korean residents purchase apartments, the nation has been experiencing a housing bubble. In particular, apartment prices have been escalating in Seoul, with some rising in cost by over 50 percent under the Moon administration and consequently posing greater challenges for those hoping to buy their own houses. In response, the government has advanced over 20 real-estate initiatives, such as taxing more heavily on multiple-home owners.

However, this measure has so far been ineffective, and many citizens are expressing their discontent with the overall increase in property prices.

“One of the biggest problems is that people can lose wealth they were relying on for the future, which can lead to economic issues,” Morgan Miller, AP Economics teacher, said. “It seems that there is a problem of overcrowding in Seoul, and if you want to buy property, there are only a few areas that would be a good investment. As far as the housing bubble, investments are always a risk: buying property can always turn out well or poorly.”

South Korean government continues to distribute relief funds amidst pandemic On Jan. 6, the South Korean finance minister Hong Nam-ki announced the government’s decision to distribute a third round of relief funds—9.3 million won in total—to small businesses hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, by the Lunar New Year. The government has been allocating funds with amounts depending on the nature and circumstances of the business, but funds can be rescinded if a business is found to have violated prevention rules. Stimulus checks for households are also continuing, and since late 2020, foreign residents in Seoul who meet certain requirements have been eligible for these payments.

“I think it was necessary for the government to hand out these funds to businesses and households that were harshly affected by the pandemic,” Eric Lee (10), a follower of South Korean news, said. “Problems with unemployment and the stagnant economy are not significantly improving, which is why the government should keep supporting workers.”

US rejoins Paris Agreement In accordance with his slew of changes aimed toward reversing the past administration’s policies, President Joe Biden and the US officially re-joined the Paris Agreement on Feb. 19. While this action does not mean that immediate changes will take place with environmental conservation or pollution regulations in the country, some experts believe that it signals a shift in mindset and paves the way for further developments from the US combating climate change. At the same time, others are reserving judgment until the US addresses issues such as carbon emissions and natural disaster prevention through concrete policies.

“I do not think [the Paris Agreement] will make much of an impact in terms of achieving the longterm temperature reduction goal,” Hugh Kang (12), an MUN executive, said. “Nevertheless, I do find it imperative that the US demonstrates their alliance with the rest of the world in the ongoing fight against climate change.”

BY: Aimee Choi Sophomore, Reporter

Biden inaugurated as 46th president

D

espite being smaller in magnitude compared to its predecessors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20 still marked a significant moment in history. Joseph Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. at the Capitol’s West Front, just two weeks after the building was stormed. In Biden’s inaugural address, he promised to restore democracy and relieve the country from the current political, economic, and health-related crises that he inherited from his predecessor, Donald Trump. Kamala Harris was also sworn in as the first African-American, Asian-American, and female vice president, marking a milestone in the history of the United States.

“Inaugurations can be successful in a number of different ways: the rhetoric of the speech, the size of the crowds, the choice of singer and poet, etc,” James Kowalski, social studies teacher, said, “For President Biden’s inauguration, I think what most people were curious to see was whether this would be a conventional event, like most inaugurations of recent memory, or would there be disruption, given that the invasion of the Capitol Building had occurred just two weeks prior. By its conventionality and sense of stability, I think it was successful.”

Customarily, the former president

would greet their successor at the inauguration to represent a peaceful transfer of power. However, former President Trump chose not to attend the inauguration ceremony, indicating his refusal to celebrate his successor. Biden also had to address an empty National Mall filled with little flags, which represented those who could not attend the ceremony due to the ongoing pandemic, while thousands of National Guard troops watched over downtown Washington DC. Instead of the traditional Inauguration Ball, Biden and Harris chose to appear in a 90-minute televised special called “Celebrating America” that was broadcasted live through all TV networks.

“I think the successful inauguration of Biden demonstrates a clear contrast against how poorly Trump is currently dealing with his loss,” Amelia Chung (10), a student who keeps up with the news, said. “Biden seems to be attempting to make changes to resolve many of the controversial issues during Trump’s presidency. I think we can see an evident pattern of Biden aiming to undo and fix the more extreme policies that Trump supported.”

After giving his inaugural address, Biden sat in the Oval Office and signed 17 executive orders which undid some of the notable changes made under Trump’s administration. For policies regarding the COVID-19 situation,

Biden expressed his hopes of getting 100 million Americans vaccinated by his 100th day in office. To further support health-related problems, he decided to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO), which former President Trump withdrew from and had consistently criticized for failing in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden also aims to provide economic relief and assistance for renters and homeowners while also providing $1.9 trillion for a stimulus plan to help those who were harmed by the pandemic. To combat climate change, he plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and attain net-zero emissions by 2050. Finally, for his immigration policy, he proposed providing a path for approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship and ending the construction of the border wall between the US and Mexico.

“I think Biden definitely seems to have a clear plan in mind,” Bryan Lee (10), a follower of the news, said. “His first days in office demonstrate that he is willing to adhere to his promises that he made during his campaign. However, I would say it is too soon to make political predictions on the future implications of his presidency as it has only been a few days since he has been elected.”

BY: Jasmine Jeong Sophomore, Layout Artist

Pregnancy and Childbirth Information Center gives controversial advice to women In recent weeks, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Pregnancy and Childbirth Information Center (PCIC) has been under heavy criticism for giving controversial advice to pregnant women. The recommendations provided on their website included remarks such as “women should prepare extra clothes for men and children while they are away in hospitals giving birth to children,” and “prepare and put extra food in the refrigerator for the husband.” Many criticized these tips as being sexist because of their implications that women—even pregnant women—were responsible for all the housework, while also insinuating that wives were expected to take care of their husbands’ daily needs.

“I found it shocking that there are still people with such outdated thoughts,” Jennah Yoo (10), an advocate of gender equality, said. “The world is constantly changing: the gap between the two genders is slowly dissipating. Although it is hard to believe that such a conflict arose in this day and age, it may once again highlight the fact that gender inequality problems must persistently be addressed. Perhaps what this organization should do is allow a group of multiple people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to contribute to the building of the information.”

When this information was published on social media, angry netizens directed harsh criticism toward the PCIC and the Korean government.

While the statements are now deleted from the website—which is currently undergoing several other changes— the public is still furious about the fact that this information was included in the manual. Doubtful that a government-run organization would post such antiquated advice on their official website, investigators began tracking down the source of the information.

It was discovered that the information

was taken from a previous website of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

However, further inquiry revealed that the real origin was a private homepage created in 2001.

“The first reaction I had was surprise when I heard about the news,” Ashlee Davis, SIS counselor, said. “I do not want to impose my own values on a different country and culture, but I think having a strong reaction to this issue is valid. Every country around the world is at a different place with gender equality and even within countries, people have different perspectives. But I think creating situations and opportunities for people to have these conversations is how change can happen. Compared to 20 years ago, we are a lot more connected today and people are more aware of what is happening. So we should not immediately jump to conclusions and judge a country in a negative way.”

Other pieces of ‘advice’ on the website, including comments for women to “put slim and tight clothes near you to motivate yourself after childbirth,”

have also received censure for implying that women have a duty to always stay attractive. Amidst the wave of anger, however, there are some who think this is an opportunity to open up more discussions about such sensitive topics.

Free communication would allow all parties to understand the positions of each other and strive for a more equal society.

“I think the problem is that the organization failed to identify the existence of gender inequality present in the advice they published on their website,” Fabian Roh (10), a student who recently saw the news, said. “This situation not only shows the need for more awareness in our community, but also suggests that the problem needs to be more addressed by the government in order for it to be reflected throughout Korea. Still, I think this controversy was able to bring important matters to light that people weren’t willing to talk about in the past.”

BY: Hannah Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Tiger Times

February 2021

Modification of COVID-19 policies in South Korea

Ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic from Wuhan, China approximately a year ago, the global economy has entered a state of lockdown, with small businesses bearing the brunt of the impact.

This has also been the case for South Korea, which saw a major decline in the number of small businesses during the prolonged pandemic. After considerable protest from these business owners and criticism from the public, the government has finally decided to reopen certain services, albeit with precautionary protocols and limitations on customer numbers.

“Although reopening gyms, cafes, and karaoke rooms might be somewhat dangerous given the high numbers of daily COVID-19 cases in South Korea, I believe this measure is necessary to mitigate the

financial losses of these small business owners,” Albert Hong (12), future business major student, said. “It has been almost a year since South Korea entered a state of lockdown, and more than half the time activities have been heavily restricted. Prior to the pandemic, I found myself going to cafes to study at least twice a week, but ever since the outbreak of the virus I have not gone to a cafe even once. With behaviors like mine becoming the norm, small businesses are sure to have had severe declines in their sales, making these new COVID-19 policies all the more necessary.”

While regulations regarding cafes and karaokes have undergone multiple modifications since the beginning of the pandemic, the inclusion of private gyms is a recent development. This follows the

On Feb. 22, 1956, in Montgomery, Alabama, 80 participants, including notable figures such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, voluntarily surrendered themselves and were arrested for their participation in the three-month bus boycott.

This came after an ultimatum from city leaders, which stated that African Americans were still prohibited from sharing seats with the whites.

The mid-1900s marked the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. Up until this point in time, segregation remained commonplace; public facilities were often divided into sections for “white” and “colored” people, with the facilities for the African-Americans being substantially lower in quality. The bus boycott was a protest against the unjust segregation laws on public buses; that African-Americans had to sit at the back, while the whites could in the front. The arrests of these civil rights activists ultimately resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court mandating the desegregation of public buses later that year.

65

suicide of a gym owner on Jan. 1, which came as a shock to many. The death of the man, who committed suicide over increasing debt due to heavy restrictions on customer numbers, caused considerable public backlash over the government’s inability to help people in need. As a response to this overwhelmingly negative feedback, the government has since modified the COVID-19 restrictions in favor of these individually-owned enterprises.

“While the South Korean government has arguably done much better in terms of enforcing COVID-19 protocol than many other countries, I feel as though the recent gym owner suicide reflects its shortcomings in providing financial help to people in need,” Evelyn Hur (12), FBLA member, said. “Although the government has been

allocating relief funds to some citizens, there are far too many criteria people need to satisfy in order to be eligible, and therefore only a small number of them are able to access these resources. However, I do realize that there is a limit to which the government can grant financial support to these people, so I think the new COVID-19 restrictions are a suitable middle ground for both these independent enterprise owners and the government.”

Apart from policies regarding public facilities, another notable change in the COVID-19 protocol was the ‘no more than 4’ restriction placed on people in groups.

There was initial confusion over this measure—in particular for families with more than 4 members—to which the government responded by ruling that large families were exempt from this rule. When the rule was first implemented on Dec. 23, 2020 it was limited to Seoul; however, it was later modified to apply to the entire nation. As of now, the law is due to be lifted on Feb. 14, although the date is subject to change.

“While many of the teachers had originally organized group activities over winter break, these plans were cancelled due to the changes in COVID-19 regulations,” Patrick Young, English teacher, said. “Moreover, because the rules regarding social distancing were constantly being modified, some teachers—especially those who had wanted to go skiing—found themselves in a situation where they had paid for their expenses only for the activities to be cancelled, but unable to receive full refunds.

In light of this happening, some other teachers decided to stay inside the teacher living compounds for the entire winter break, because they did not want to risk the uncertainties in the potential cancellation of plans and were also wary of the rising number of COVID-19 cases.”

BY: Jiwon Lee Senior, Paper Managing Editor

years ago, today…

BY Katherine

Suk

Social movements and protests have played a significant role in changing history. From the aforementioned Civil Rights Movement to the women’s suffrage movement, the world has experienced diverse social uprisings that have shaped the world we live in today. However, there are inevitable hardships and controversies social activists must face; historically, many activists frequently faced violence, arrest, and discrimination. Because what they advocated for was not the social norm during their times, many opposers of these movements were hesitant to embrace change.

Although social movements encountered stronger disapproval in the past, it is arguable that they are more widely supported in the current day, demonstrating how people have grown to be more supportive and willing to accept change with the passage of time.

Such efforts to embrace change in the present can be shown through the rise of several recent social movements.

Recently, there have been a number of social movements that have come to public attention.

The Black Lives Matter movement, #MeToo movement, and Queer and Trans Lives Matter are some notable examples. Similar to social movements in the past, the purpose of these movements was for people to voice their disapproval of social injustices, gain recognition for their rights, and form solidarity with each other. Modern-day social movements often maintain a more supportive atmosphere than in the past, when opposing violence and riots were more commonly seen.

However, that does not mean there are no hardships for modern-day social activists at all.

Although direct violence has become somewhat less comment, social activists frequently face opposition on the internet, primarily through social media. Ranging from mockery to discrimination, these anonymous hate comments facilitate a disapproving social atmosphere for many of these

9

activists. For example, feminism is widely disapproved in South Korea, in particular by many individuals in social media. These individuals have even created names to denigrate the feminists in South Korea.

“Ggolfemi,” which belittles feminists as being narrow-minded, is one such term. Some people also use the term “Megal,” a shortened name of a radical feminist group in South Korea called “Megalia,” to criticize that all Feminists follow female chauvinism.

However, social movements are necessary for change, despite the initial opposition they may face.

Without the public demanding their wants and needs, the world is unlikely to change by itself.

Therefore, it is important for the public to respect social movements and activists, and obtain an openminded mentality in order to allow our society to evolve. In the year 2086, how would have society’s reaction to new social movements have changed?

10 SPORTS Tom Brady wins historic seventh Super Bowl over Patrick Mahomes

Graphics by Emily Oh On Jan. 25, both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs won their conference championships against the Green Bay Packers and the Buffalo Bills, respectively. As a result of their victories in the playoff semifinals, the two teams, led by Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, moved on to the NFL playoff finals, more commonly known as the Super Bowl. At last, the Buccaneers brought home NFL championship glory by defeating the Chiefs with a score of 31-9.

“The results of the playoffs this

year were certainly fascinating,” Samuel Hong (10), football fanatic, said. “At the start of the season, I did expect the superstar Patrick Mahomes to perform successfully, although I did not expect such from Tom Brady, who had just changed teams. It is simply astonishing to see such results from two drastically different teams. Also, proving my point even further, many teams that have been expected to easily make it to the playoffs did not do so, showing exactly how much the season was different.”

Although the competition was largely a blowout by the fourth quarter, there were many memorable plays throughout the game.

The game started off with a 3-0 lead for the Chiefs, but as soon as Brady tossed a 8-yard pass to Rob Gronkowski, the Buccaneers quickly surged to a 7-3 lead. While Brady continued to find success throwing the ball and finished with three touchdown passes, prospects were not as high for Kansas City star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City’s offensive

line was unable to slow the swarming Tampa Bay pass rush, forcing Mahomes to improvise often and make rushed, uncomfortable situations. As a result of the constant pressure generated by the Tampa Bay pass rush, Mahomes completed barely more than half of his throws, marking one of the worst performances of his bright, young career.

“Brady showed great resilience throughout the season, and as for the Super Bowl, I was extremely confident that the Buccaneers would emerge victorious,” James

Gerhard, NFL superfan, said.

“Brady received 15 million dollars for a two year contract, and with that kind of pressure, people perform better. Moreover, old age and surliness beats youth and ambition, as people witnessed in the Broncos v. Panthers game where Peyton Manning beat Cam Newton.”

With this historic seventh Super Bowl ring, Tom Brady now has more championship titles than any other player in NFL history, and he has also become only the second quarterback, after Peyton Manning, to lead two separate franchises to Super Bowl victories.

This has only further solidified Brady’s otherworldly football resume, which many consider to be the greatest of all time.As for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the rising superstar’s key teammates—like tight end Travis Kelce, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and safety Tyrann Mathieu— all remain under contract with the team for at least another year, giving many fans high hopes for the Chiefs to bounce back strongly next season.

“Ultimately, while it is important to celebrate the wins of this past season, I believe it is important to learn from the experience and improve as a team,” Bryan Lee (10), fantasy football player, said. “Patrick Mahomes has been on a run too good to be true for a while, and this loss may serve as a reminder to the quarterback. As for Tom Brady, I am excited to see where his journey will end, although I do not believe it will be soon.”

BY: Isabelle Lee Sophomore, Reporter

Another Korean-American film makes headlines The coronavirus pandemic has clearly had a devastating impact on the film industry: it has cost movie theatre stocks billions of dollars, resulted in substantial job loss, and delayed the release of many movies. With many film producers choosing to push by their release dates and movie theaters opening back up in Korea, the demand for new films has increased. “Minari,” an American drama film, is due to be released in theaters on Feb. 12, and will certainly help satisfy the search for new films for many.

“When I first heard of the upcoming movie, I did not think much of it, for the title itself appeared static,” Sarah Yim (10), a film fanatic, said. “However, I continue to see headlines about it and it made me curious to see what part of the film was causing such the stir. I am also relieved to see that films continue to be released despite the pandemic situation seemingly not improving.”

“Minari” delves into the story of a Korean-American family that moves to Arkansas from South Korea in search of the American dream. The vivid and moving autobiographical plot underlines the significance of cultural clashes, especially in terms of assimilation and independence, as the family struggles to adapt to a new country while facing straining obstacles.

The director of the film, Lee Isaac

Chung, has cast well-known actors from both Korea and America, such as Steven Yeun, Youn Yuh-jung, and Brad Pitt. “Minari” is to have its first release limited to in-theaters only, with online streaming platforms yet to announce “Minari’s” digital debut.

“I saw a few articles about ‘Minari,’ and it was all over the news,” Katie Lee (11), a fan of director Lee Isaac Chung, said. “After hearing that the film was directed

by Lee Isaac Chung, I took even more interest. The plot greatly appealed to me, for I similarly faced cultural challenges moving to Korea, and I feel like I would be able to relate to the characters as well.”

“Minari” has already claimed a number of prizes, including four prizes from US film critics awards, and 89 nominations for others.

Despite the outstanding performance by the film, it has repeatedly encountered controversy for its disputed designation for film award categories. For instance, Golden Globes have concluded that the movie featured too much Korean dialogue to receive the Best Drama award; therefore, it has been placed to compete in the Best Foreign Language Film section.

A number of actors and directors publicly condemned this decision, arguing that the movie is an unequivocally American film, as Daniel

Dae Kim, a Korean-American actor, sheds light on the irony of being told to return to one’s country when that country is America.

Many also called for modifications to the antiquated standards that narrow American films to strictly English-speaking ones, stating it to be a form of racial discrimination that undermines the value of the foreign language films themselves. Thus, this situation raises

questions regarding how films in the future will be assessed, until when Asian-Americans will be considered permanently foreign, and how much language and race will interfere with understanding the true and complete value of films.

“I first took interest in ‘Minari’ because I was a fan of the main actor, and I also found the director’s life story intriguing,” Tim

Gardes, the SIS librarian, said.

“Regarding the controversy, I think that old habits die hard, and hopefully Golden Globes realize they make a mistake, and fix their regulations if not now, then by the near future.”

BY: Erin J Choi Sophomore, Reporter

LIFESYTLE

Conflicts arise over Chinese claims on Korean culture Recent Chinese attempts to claim Korean culture, including food, clothes, and music, have sparked controversy in both countries. For example, the Chinese state media has faced online backlash after its effort to win an international certification for pao cai, a pickled vegetable dish from Sichuan. The Global Times, a Chinese newspaper, reported this as “an international standard for the Kimchi industry led by China” in its newspaper. The mention of the word “kimchi” made South Koreans furious, as kimchi is a traditional fermented ethnic food that is thought to embody the national spirit of Korea. In response, Koreans accused China of being a “thief ” for trying to steal their culture, while many Chinese netizens on Weibo claimed that pao cai met the standards that define kimchi well.

“I think the use of the word ‘kimchi’ is wrong,” Andrew Jang (11), a student who keeps up with the news, said. “I heard that the agriculture ministry of South Korea reported that the ISO standard of Pao Cai is not related to kimchi. Although they are both made out of cabbage with spice, there is a clear distinction in their recipes, tastes, and origin between pao cai and kimchi. Moreover, after the conflict between South Koreans and Chinese arose, ISO clearly stated that the standard does not apply to kimchi.”

Another example that spurred this conflict is a recent Chinese TV show that claimed aspects of Korean tradition as Chinese.

“Street Dance of China,” a Chinese variety show program, held an ethnic dance competition.

One team danced to “Arirang,” a Korean traditional folk song, while wearing hanbok, a style of Korean traditional clothes, but the team misrepresented the hanbok and implied that it was Chinese by calling it “hanfu.” Moreover, China also added “Arirang” to the

Chinese Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity with other folk songs and traditional practices of Joseonjok, ethnic Koreans living in China.

Infuriated Koreans claimed that China is attempting to spread historically distorted facts.

“As a South Korean, I am very familiar with the song Arirang,” Ariel Ahn (11), a student who loves Korean culture, said. “In 2012, the South Korean government added Arirang to UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list before the conflict with China. I think every South Korean has grown up listening to this song because it is considered our national anthem.

Arirang reflects the cultural spirit and identity of Koreans, as it is passed down for generations.”

These arguments began online through various social media platforms but have now become a major conflict between South Korea and China. Unlike in the past when the information was spread and consumed separately by each

country, modern social media provides more opportunities for people in different nations to interact with one another. As such, South Koreans have been responding to the conflicts and attempting to preserve their culture by making TikTok and YouTube videos with informative content about Korean culture. BTS, the famous K-Pop boy band, also emphasized Hanbok as Korean culture in an interview to reach global audiences.

“Chinese culture and Korean culture are interconnected,” James Kowalski, a history teacher, said.

“They have influenced each other in the history of forming culture, so there are many similarities between them. In order to prevent future conflicts, there is a need to address a distinction between the two cultures and avoid words that might cause misunderstanding.”

BY: Clara Lim Junior, Layout Artist

11

Cobra Kai Season three delivers thrilling action

O

n Jan. 1, Netflix released the third season of its show “Cobra Kai.” The show re-imagines the events following the hit 80s movie “The Karate Kid,” an exciting story that details the rise of Daniel LaRusso as he learns karate in order to protect himself from his bullies.

By keeping the main characters from the original movie, “Cobra Kai” explores the complex nature of adults trying to reconcile their past differences and move on. While the first two seasons were mostly full of action-packed karate sequences, the third season has built more suspense by focusing on the training process of students as they recover from injuries and strive toward achieving their potential. By the season finale, the audience’s patience is rewarded with jaw-dropping fights as high schoolers toss each other into Christmas trees, frying pans smash into heads, and karate masters break through glass windows.

“I think it makes sense that the original, now-old characters are getting new backstories,” Whitney Meininger, avid Netflix fan, said. “Especially in the midst of pandemic life, many people are binge-watching shows. I would imagine that streaming services like Netflix are looking for new content, and these shows that are getting remade from the 80s and 90s offer several seasons of material.”

The show began as an inspection of Johnny, the original villain from “The Karate Kid.” By giving viewers more of his backstory, the screenwriters made Johnny a sympathetic character who is far more nuanced than most antagonists. Daniel LaRusso, the protagonist from the original movie, is also given more depth when his strained familial relationships are revealed. In the third season, Daniel and Johnny finally come to terms with each other and train

their successors in preparation for a grand fight against Johnny’s old teacher. The show dives into philosophical differences between Daniel and Johnny, as well as the internal conflicts of students as they try to decide which path is correct. ”I in particular enjoyed the finale of ‘Cobra Kai’ because it included plenty of fights between the characters,” Sam Hong (10), viewer of the show, said. “It is fun because the show deals with high schoolers, although they are sometimes not relatable. I think that the show sometimes has too much emotional turmoil, but apart from that, it suited me perfectly.”

Though it may seem like the show has nowhere to go from here, there are actually several plotlines that have yet to be fleshed out.

Robby and Sam, the children of Johnny and Daniel respectively, had relatively smaller roles in the third season, implying that they have larger character arcs planned for them in the future. Moreover, Miguel, Johnny’s first student, is also yet to reach a fulfilling climax.

All in all, the show continues to build upon characters, showing how both children and adults can mature as they understand others’ perspectives. “Cobra Kai” is far more than a show about karate; it is a show about courage, redemption, and passion—themes that any viewer can relate to.

“The show contained a surprisingly deep analysis about the nature of good and evil,” Jihoon Kim (10), fan of “Cobra Kai,” said.

“Throughout the show, we see many people struggling to determine what is objectively good and bad. The lines that divide them are extremely blurry, and this made me think about how difficult it is to judge people impartially.”

BY: Wonjune Kim Sophomore, Reporter

Hit or Miss: Haseong Kim signs with the San Diego Padres With the massive financial losses suffered by MLB teams after the pandemic-plagued ‘20 season, the 2020-21 offseason has been unusually quiet, making it especially difficult for unproven foreign players to stand out in the free-agent market. After weeks of little news, Korean infielder Haseong Kim has finally reached an agreement with the San Diego Padres to a four year $28 million deal. But was this signing a hit or a miss for Kim?

Overall: Miss As much as it was exciting, Kim’s signing with the Padres was considerably lackluster compared to his high salary and substantial contract-length expectations.

According to Fangraphs, Kim’s projected contract was at minimum a four year $44 million contract and at maximum a five year $60 million contract. A four year $28 million contract falls significantly short of this projected minimum.

Aside from the monetary disappoint-

ments of the contract, Kim’s signing with the Padres does not guarantee him a place in the starting roster. The Padres are top contenders in the National League with a World Series title in their sights, and unsurprisingly, their starting roster is stacked from top to bottom with superstar-caliber players. As a versatile infielder, Kim’s potential positions on the field are third base, shortstop, and second base. Kim has no chance of earning a spot at third-base or shortstop as they are currently occupied by five-time all-star and two-time Gold Glover Manny Machado and shortstop phenom Fernando Tatis Jr. His only contentable position is second base—however, securing a place at second base also seems questionable as the current occupant, Jake Cronenworth, is a very solid second baseman. Cronenworth batted .285 in 2020, his first season in the big leagues, showing promising potential. If Cronenworth continues to display his solid performance, it seems unlikely that Kim would replace Cronenworth at

second base any time soon unless he puts up staggering numbers. Considering the seamless Padres lineup, Kim seems to be signing himself to a platoon role.

Nevertheless, one detail of the contract and its appeal is worth noting. The Padres were the only team to guarantee Kim an automatic transition to the MLB without having to go through the Minor League.

Although it is true that a number of Korean players in the past could not make it to the big leagues after struggling in the Minor League, considering that Kim is a top 10 free agent with strong power, solid defense, and excellent contact ability, it is unlikely that the Minor Leagues would have been an obstacle to Kim’s major league debut.

However, a better option for Kim may have been to accept the Toronto Blue Jays’ offer, which reportedly amounted to five years or more. For one, the Blue Jays have the Korean pitching phenom, Hyunjin Ryu, as their no. 1 starter. With Korean veteran Ryu in the team, the Blue Jays are clearly the perfect fit for Kim as

Ryu, being a fellow Korean, would have greatly facilitated Kim’s adjustment to his demanding new career in the big leagues. More importantly, the Blue Jays are a young developing team with plenty of positions for Kim to play. The slow, lumbering Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at third base would have surely been moved to first base and replaced by the nimble Kim had he signed with the Blue Jays; Kim would have been practically guaranteed a place in the starting lineup with Toronto.

While Kim has certainly achieved his dream of playing in the MLB with one of the most exciting teams in baseball, the San Diego Padres, whether he will be able to play as a regular starter is unclear. Coupled with the somewhat disappointing terms of his contract, Kim’s ambiguous future in the Padres starting lineup makes his signing with the team an overall miss for the talented Korean.

BY: Hugo Lee Sophomore, Copy Editor

12

SMALL TALK

DEEP_FRIED_INTERNET DARK ACADEMIA:

WHERE ARCANE BECOMES CONTEMPORARY

You sit by a moonlit window, clutching your wellloved copy of Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History.”

Chopin’s “Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor” fades into the background as you turn another page, careful not to spill your fourth cup of black coffee. It is 4 a.m., but you refuse to sleep without finishing the book. Such is the fantasy described by many followers of the internet aesthetic known as Dark Academia.

Originating on Tumblr in 2014, Dark Academia has grown popular in recent years, with the majority of Dark Academians active on TikTok and Instagram.

Followers of this niche lifestyle pursue historical and intellectual passions such as learning classical languages, writing long letters to loved ones, or studying arcane subjects for copious amounts of time. Dark Academia is notable for its vintage style inspired by

Religion x Gender

the preppy uniforms of 19th-century British boarding schools and the goth undertones of more contemporary influences. As such, followers favor clothing that emulates this combination, such as dark blazer jackets and muted tweed pants. Like with most communities, there are several cult books and movies within the Dark Academia community, most prominently the aforementioned “The Secret History’’ and “The Dead Poets Society,” that make frequent appearances in social media posts.

So why are people, or more specifically, Gen-Zers, attracted to Dark Academia? As a generation in the modern age, Gen-Zers are constantly surrounded by technology, to the extent that digital overstimulation can sometimes feel stifling. As a result, some Gen-Zers may feel the desire to escape into the past, to a time that seemed more simple and fulfilling. Additionally, others find Dark Academia appealing because they hope to embody its refined and intellectual-looking aesthetic, which many view as classy and sophisticated. Finally, those interested in classics and other antiquated areas of study hope to find others with similar interests through the Dark Academia community.

Additionally, the fact that many Dark Academians—the majority of whom are female—wear traditionally male clothing like blazers and dress pants as part of their aesthetic reflects how gender roles have become less rigid over the years. Now, people are more

Rosa Suh, Bona Suh

free to experiment outside of their prescribed gender roles, in contrast to a few decades ago when that was seen as odd or even unacceptable. It is a sign that society has grown and likely will continue to grow away from outdated norms.

However, critics of Dark Academia argue that it reveals a worrying inclination common within Gen-Z: creating identity not through self-introspection, but rather through the pressures of conforming with a group. While some followers may fully embrace the classic novels associated with the aesthetic, it is likely that others will not due to their unfamiliar syntax and wording. But even though they dislike reading them, many will force themselves to in order to fit in with the rest of the community. Without the ability to decide firmly what they like and dislike, some Gen-Zers may struggle to build an identity of their own, which can have resounding negative long-term effects.

Like most internet trends, Dark Academia has both negative and positive sides. There are people that truly enjoy reading classics and people that do not but will choose to pretend to do so in an act of conformity. What is important is to recognize this issue and strive to overcome it. As long as those living the aesthetic are truly happy, this internet culture possesses no real harm, and Dark Academians should be free to live their 19th-century pseudo-boarding-school fantasies in peace.

Intersecting Identities Aimee Choi, Rachel Yoon

Do women in faith face discrimination?

Religious women often face discrimination from factors both within and outside of their religion. Women’s rights to practice their beliefs are sometimes limited, and ironically enough, certain religions that are meant to promote equality frequently serve as a basis for gender inequality due to their conservative and patriarchal foundations. In fact, Marie Juul Petersen, a researcher on religion and human rights, noted that “gender equality is seen as a threat to the protection of religious values and practices.”

Hijabs, which many Muslim women wear to honor religious traditions, are frequently the target of discrimination; those who attempt to wear them simply for manifesting their beliefs can be physically harassed, fired from jobs, or forbidden to wear them in public spaces.

Intensified Islamophobia in the US after the 9/11 incident contributed to explicit prejudice against Muslim women in our society. Furthermore, Muslim Uighur women in “re-education” camps in China are reportedly subject to rape, sterilization, or forced contraception, having their female bodily and reproductive rights violated on the basis of their religion.

Religions also often enforce what can be seen as gender-discriminatory practices, most of which are embedded into the very foundation of the religion. For instance, certain religions have a patriarchal hierarchy in place where women serve a secondary, companion-like role. In addition, although certain sectors of religions allow their male followers to have multiple wives, it is unacceptable for women to have multiple husbands. Though this

may seem like a double standard, many religious women themselves accept this practice. Furthermore, some religions, in our eyes, interfere with religious women’s reproductive rights by condemning abortion. However, the women themselves also view this as the morally correct concept because it is in their faith. The lens through which we see these actions differs from what religious women may truly feel, as they adhere to such practices because it is their duty as followers of the religion.

This brings us to the fact that it is much beyond our reach to try changing factors contributing to gender inequality ingrained in religions. After all, while societal standards have been revolutionized numerous times, many religious beliefs originate from hundreds of generations ago. Besides, many religious women themselves would not wish aspects of their faith to be changed in any way. Fighting for gender equality, hence, does not mean these religious practices should be altered or unlearned; that would essentially be impossible and wrong to do. Rather, discrimination against religious women must be brought to the spotlight and fought. Religious beliefs should not subject anyone to discrimination nor justify harassment, and combatting discrimination against religious women would be a major step in ensuring the freedom of religion as a whole. Whether it be by helping women to manifest their beliefs freely or strictly eliminating physical harassment against them, our call for change should both respect women’s faith and focus on discrimination stemming from outside of their religious practices.

photo of the

month

Busily moving their hands, school counselors, Ms. Davis, Ms. Edwards, and Ms. Santos create their magical gingerbread house for the HSSC Gingerbread House Event.

Photo by Alice Lee