Senior Destination Conestoga High School, Berwyn PA
Volume 72 No. 6
June 6, 2022
s M a P P a g es 6 - 7
www.spoke.news
Ben Shapiro/The SPOKE
By Hiba Samdani and George Zhang, CoEditor-in-Chief and Photography Editor “Crazy.” “A roller coaster.” “Emotionally-charged.” No single word could summarize the 2021-22 school year, but students used these words to describe the year. From a new expansion project to an anti-mask walkout, Conestoga underwent significant changes and faced unexpected circumstances. The looming threat of the COVID-19 pandemic further compli-
cated students’ return from a hybrid and virtual school year, presenting an additional hurdle to the school’s path to normalcy. For many students, the mask protest was the most divisive and notable event of the school year. Led by junior Hayden McLellan, more than 50 students gathered at the base of the atrium steps on Feb. 11 and left school grounds around lunchtime, with dozens more spectating. Some students do not regret their decision to participate in the walkout, as freshman Mikey Johnson believed he was simply protesting
for a cause about which he was passionate. “Radnor went (mask-) optional before we did and we were one of the last schools to go (mask-)optional,” Johnson said. “We (were) just protesting our rights: what we believe in.” Due to the disruptive nature of the walkout, many other students disapproved of this demonstration. As this group of students left the school, they banged on lockers and chanted “U.S.A.” throughout the hallways. Junior Anish Garimidi found the rowdy behavior largely unnecessary.
“It all was so inconsequential and just a big show of defiance,” Garimidi said. “The thing that annoyed me the most was people of privilege claiming that they were oppressed for wearing a mask.” Sophomore Hirah Ashiq agrees with this sentiment, and wished that the students used other methods to relay their opinions. “It was very immature. I thought there were better ways of communicating their feelings, other than stating a whole protest and walking out of the school,” Ashiq said.
In response to threats made on social media toward the school and individual students, the administration made school virtual on Feb. 14 out of safety concerns. They increased police presence for the remainder of the week to ensure safety and later hosted several listening sessions to hold discussions with students. At these meetings, school board members, school district officials and Conestoga administration answered students’ questions regarding the walkout and the district’s future decisions on
masking requirements. Freshman Maria Stowfis thought this response was appropriate for the events that transpired. “I think the school did as well as it could with the mask protests, and for the most part, did well in making sure something like it didn’t happen again,” Stowfis said. “It feels like school is more or less back to normal since there are fewer restrictions, and it feels like COVID isn’t as big of a part of our day-today lives.” The student body also saw this newfound hope in the opening of the new
addition to the building. With more than 20 new instructional rooms and a communal space added, the expansion became a useful place for collaboration and relaxation from the stress of school. “After a year of mostly virtual school, I think the atrium was needed for the socializing aspect of high school,” sophomore Charlotte Gauthier said. “For a growing school with more students, another place to hang out is definitely for the best.” Continued on page 3.
Parent sues school district for violating First Amendment rights Ben Shapiro News Editor
Conestoga High School parent Benjamin Auslander filed a lawsuit against the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District on April 12 claiming that the district violated his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. The district asked to dismiss the lawsuit; however, the judge denied the request. Among the local and national debate regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools, in January, Auslander made a Right to Know Request for all records, lesson plans and materials prepared by the Pacific Educational Group (PEG), the district’s racial equity consultant. On Jan. 26, one week after Auslander filed his request, the district notified him that he could not obtain a copy of the PEG training materials since they are protected by copyright; however, the district informed him that he would be allowed to view the documents during an “in-camera viewing,” at which point he would not be allowed to copy or photograph the documents.
On Feb. 7, as planned by TESD Business Manager and School Board Secretary Arthur McDonell, Auslander arrived at the TESD Administrative Office to view the PEG curriculum. As stated in the plaintiff ’s complaint, Auslander began recording himself reading the documents before him, making “verbal recordings on his smart phone of what his eyes were seeing.” “McDonnell threatened (Auslander) with criminal and civil liability if he continued to record the sound of his own voice describing what his eyes were seeing,” the complaint stated. “McDonnell threatened to hold (the) plaintiff liable under the Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act for recording his own voice. He also threatened to hold (the) plaintiff liable under ‘copyright laws.’” Despite McDonnell asking Auslander to stop recording himself — and telling him that if he did not stop, he would be ordered to leave the district office — Auslander continued his recording. McDonnell immediately terminated the viewing, and
afterward, Auslander contacted his lawyer and filed a lawsuit against the district and McDonnell arguing that “by threatening, coercing
and ending (Auslander’s) inspection of public documents because (he) was exercising his first amendment right to speak, (McDonnell) was vi-
olating (Auslander’s) clearly established rights.” Auslander, his lawyer and McDonell all declined to speak on the pending litigation.
Three months after Auslander filed his lawsuit, the judge ordered that the case would go to a non-jury trial on May 18. Two days before,
Aren Framil/The SPOKE
however, the judge canceled the trial and ordered Auslander to amend his complaint to include PEG as a defendant. On May 20, Auslander included PEG as a defendant without adding any additional claims. One major point of contention within this case, while not relating to the alleged First Amendment violation at hand, is the subtext regarding CRT. Auslander argues that the district intertwines CRT into school curriculum. “Defendant Tredyffrin/ Easttown School District openly maintains a CRT curriculum and indoctrination program for teachers, staff, and students,” the plaintiff ’s complaint states. The district denies the allegations. PEG is expected to reply and take legal action within 21 days of notification of the lawsuit, and only after it files an “answer to the complaint,” will the court move forward with setting a date for a trial. Despite the outcome of this case, PEG educational materials still remain subject to copyright laws as they are produced by a private organization and the district has made no mention of terminating its contract with PEG.