The T: The Fear Edition

T

MARCH 2020

Tattler Staff Editors in Chief Rachel Auerbach Isabel Danzis Grace Harrington

Contributing Editors Lilly Behbehani Josh Garber Emma Volkers Managing Editors Charlie Kannapell Dan Shapiro Art Editors Grace Carter Yael Chiappori News Editors Griffin Boswell Iman Khosrodad Feature Editors Juliana Capizzi Anna Hoover Mia Romano La Vida Editor Aranza Lara Opinion Editors Eli Glickman Sonali Hettipola Ethan Tiao

FEAR ITSELF Yes. Yes. We know. Teenagers and anxiety have gone hand in hand for decades. When B-CC opened its doors in 1926, you can bet the highwaymen (B-CC’s old mascot) came with baggage filled with hopes, anxieties and fears. Don’t let the cheerful photos on @thebccarchives convince you otherwise (see page 29).

So if fear (arguably the world’s oldest emotion) has been plaguing teens since the beginning of time, why are we talking about it now?

Something unprecedented is happening.

While we share fear with teenagers of the past (e.g., fear of not being accepted, pressures from parents and school), many of the fears we are facing are new or experienced in new and troubling ways. We do not have a military draft looming after graduation. But we do face the stresses of gun violence, cancel culture, racial profiling, climate change, a new political landscape, a rise in antisemitism, more apparent police brutality, debt (personal, family and national), reproductive rights, and Life360-just to name a few.

Add to this barrage of stress-inducing challenges, we have the uniquely troubling developments of 2020: coronavirus, a jittery stock market, fights at school sports games, alleged bathroom muggings, and a gruesome allegation of rape in our own community.

Although growing up in this rapidly evolving world is scary, recognizing and delving into the fears many of us share can help us attack the root causes and move forward.

Style Editors Sol Gehring Frannie Rosen Backpage Editors Juliana Blayney Jackson Hermes Karina Vasudeva Business Managers Liv Moffitt Natalie Schwartz Website Manager Alex Waterman 22

Cover By Simone Kulinski

GRAPHIC BY GRACE CARTER

Sports Editors Eli Davis Dylan Greenhouse

What We Fear.

Drowning.

Everything boils down to grades Grades determine your college College determines your job Job determines your future Grades determine your future Must not disappoint.

Drowning.

Go straight from school to sports Everyday Student athlete vs. athlete student It’s synonymous JV is acceptable, Varsity is exceptional Must not disappoint.

Drowning.

Honor society on top of honor society Start a club Must be a leader not a follower Be involved in everything Student government, debate, model UN Must not disappoint.

Drowning.

“Must not waste your potential” “Must not waste your opportunities” Ambition becomes obsession Must not disappoint.

When asked to capture fear, the Tattler staff came up with a range of responses. From poems, to short stories to essays, each person described what scared them and their peers differently. The responses below exemplify a few of the fears that plague teenagers in 2020.

It pains me to admit this, but I am in fear everyday at school. When I enter an unfamiliar classroom, I look around to ensure that there are two safe exits. My eyes are constantly moving during class; I usually find myself watching the door. If I have my headphones in, they are never too loud.

If I seem tired, trust me I am aware of my surroundings. It hurts that I have to be so cautious around school because that should be one of the safest places. This is the reality of most teenagers in 2020.

BY JULIANA CAPIZZI A shadow hangs over the lives of our generation. The activists, the speakers, the ones who will finally make a difference. But what if we don’t? What if we fade in to the mediocracy of average lives, never to stand out, never to make a change.

A sea of problems faces us, violence, inequality, climate change, even death seeming like an army waiting to be conquered. And we’re working, trying. Wait. Not we, them. Others are rushing by achieving everything we one day hope to.

But what if everything we want is average, but we have to be anything but. What if I want a family, a husband, to be a stay at home mom. Yet I fear others seeing me as mediocre, as never. quite. good. enough. I will never be anything but ordinary.

BY ANONYMOUS

I fear the day I disapoint.

BY FRANNIE ROSEN

There once was a boy named Smitty.

Who went to a fine arts university.

Their program was great, but so were their rates.

Now he sleeps on the streets of the city.

BY GRIFFIN BOSWELL

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

-Nelson Mandela

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COVER STORY

Highs and Lows:

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BY LILLY BEHBEHANI, IMAN KHOSRODAD, AND NEVA JANE MALDONADO On a Wednesday afternoon, Leslie* was sitting in her usual homework spot at a local Starbucks.

Right before she had started her homework, she just finished picking up new carts, or marijuana filled pods, from a new dealer who swore there were no harmful chemicals in the carts he was selling. He had promised her they came from a trusted source as he turned the cart upside down and told her to see if there were any air bubbles in the small cylinder filled with a clear orange liquid, which there were not, according to her.

This small flip of the cart was enough to sell her on purchasing more carts for her weed pen.

“Funny story, the only reason I started smoking weed was that I didn’t want to go into college without having tried weed. So I was like I need to try it,” Leslie leaned further back into her chair and shrugged her shoulders, “And I did.

And I thought, ‘that is good.’”

Often, there is a misconception that boys are typically stoners and that girls are the “goody two shoes.” However, marijuana usage does not restrict itself to one singular gender. Official data often merges the genders together to create one statistic about adolescents across the board, not acknowledging the difference in numbers between boys and girls who smoke weed on a regular basis. In teenage life today, it is not uncommon to see a girl smoking weed at a party, with her friends, or at her home.

Since the use of marijuana, specifically marijuana vapes, was not commonly used and some not even invented when our parents were teenagers themselves, many find the unknown aspects of these products extremely worrying.

Julie*, a parent of a fellow student expressed that “I worry that [marijuana vapes are] being overly used without knowing the long term effects in the younger generations. The biggest concern about weed is that many people become a gateway to other drugs that at best involve life-long addictions and at worst are life ending.”

For some students, there is a common peer pressure about trying out illegal substances such as alcohol and weed. However, with all the recent reports of marijuana and vape related illnesses, many students have taken precautions in no longer purchasing and/or being more careful in knowing what they are actually buying when it comes to weed. Rachel*, a student at B-CC, said that, “The recent news reports don’t really scare me. I know that I should be scared but I’m just not.” Another student, Sara*, agrees saying that “all that stuff doesn’t really scare me.”

Teenage weed use has decreased according to a study conducted by The Journal of the American Medical Association. However, one significant aspect that studies such as the one conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association do not take into consideration is the increase in the use of marijuana vapes. Marijuana vapes have recently become more and more popular as it is seen to be an easier and safer way of getting high.

In 2018, a school-based survey estimated 1 in 11 students in the U.S. uses marijuana vapes rather 4

than the weed itself.The lack of measurement about marijuana vapes when conducting research about teen marijuana use could explain the decrease in marijuana use altogether.

In contrast, other studies have shown an increase in daily marijuana use amongst teens.

In a 2016 study published by NSUDH, it was found that 6.5 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 were current users of marijuana, meaning 1.6 million adolescents have used marijuana in the past month. A study conducted by the University of Michigan reported that teenage marijuana use is at its all-time high in 30 years. The study attributes this rise to the difficulty of alcohol consumption. As it has become more difficult for teens to have access to alcohol, more teens turn to marijuana due to its somewhat easy access.

Teens also do not view marijuana as dangerous, which allows them to smoke weed frequently in any setting. The same study found that teens often smoke marijuana under any circumstance: boredom, sleep, fun, etc.

The appeal that smoking weed holds among teens differs from person to person. Some find it “cool” and use the fact that they smoke to show off to their peers. Others use it as a form of “anxiety relief,” and some just use it to have fun or pass the time. Overall the desire surrounding the marijuana use of teens stems from personal wants. As Rachel said, “Smoking weed has affected my life both in a positive and negative way. Negatively in the sense that whenever I get caught there tends to be consequences, but positively in how it has increased my sociability.”

Sara also explained that “Smoking weed helps me relax and have more fun. Okay, yeah, when I have really bad depression it’s easy to use it a lot and will end up negatively affecting me, but it’s like an escape.”

Obstacles teens face when it comes to marijuana is not the typical “it’s hard to find” obstacle. Marijuana is easily accessible. As Leslie put it, “Everyone f****** sells it so it’s so easy to get. Literally anyone, anywhere, anytime.” The obstacle, however, is getting away with it and keeping marijuana hidden. The introduction of marijuana vapes solved the problem of the smell, but as the death toll for vape related deaths rise, many teens turn back to real, “unprocessed” marijuana. The obstacle, in this case, is hiding marijuana itself and the marijuana smell from parents and the police. If the police catch teens smoking marijuana in Montgomery County, they may receive a citation. The teen may have to go to court based off of the amount of citations they have previously received.

The fear of becoming overly dependent is one of many for habitual marijuana smokers. For some, the thought of going a day, or even a couple hours without being high seems impossible.

Constantly thinking of where and when the next time they smoke will be, or how they can get out of the house to do so. Since marijuana is considered an “addictive” substance, the strong dependence of this drug that many smokers develop, forms into a major fear.

It’s no secret that any kind of recurring smoking does damage to your lungs, but recent outbreaks in marijuana vapes have created a new health issue. The use of marijuana vapes is a fairly new way to smoke weed, but it has quickly become one of the most popular among high schoolers. All over the news, there have been reports of illnesses and hospitalizations due to these THC vapes, yet many choose to continue to use them. From the girls interviewed, it seemed evident that smoking is a part of their life which is not going to go away anytime soon, and as Emily remarked, “If I’m not smoking in the morning and before bed, I’m not getting anything done.” *all names have been changed

GRAPHIC BY MOLLY BUSIS

More Girls are Using Marijuana, But at What Cost?

COVER STORY

Easy Access, Fake IDs, Real Consequences: Teenage Binge Drinking

GRAPHIC INSPIRED BY SUPERBAD

BY ASHLEY BYRNES, COOPER CLENDENIN, PARKER SILVER AND SEBASTIAN VALENCIA The air in Bethesda, Maryland, on November 22 is brisk as students begin to fall out of Bethesda Chevy Chase High School. The underclassmen file on to the yellow school busses while the juniors and seniors jump into their friend’s cars, excited for the awaiting mischief associated with weekends in high school. While some kids head home, others go to the liquor store to pick up a bundle of alcohol. The dull hum of traffic calms Taylor’s* heart which was beating rapidly from just purchasing alcohol illegally.

What are the plans for the weekend? Drinking during the weekend has seemed to remain as a societal norm for teenagers; whether at parties or hangouts, this belief seems to be supported.

The unstable element that accompanies these social activities however, is the amount of alcohol that the teens are drinking, each person being different.

There seems to be a rise in the number of teens that consume an abundant amount of alcohol, drinking until they are in an unmanageable state, at every opportunity they are given. Although not all teenagers engage in this type of behaviour, seeing a person in a state of extreme intoxication is not uncommon.

It can be understood that the demonstration of underage drinking displayed throughout the world is not at an uprising of sorts right now. It has been a practice that has remained relatively constant for some time now. However, the aspect of binge drinking relative to this behavior is the shift that needs to be recognized. The American Addiction Center revealed how “individuals ages 12-20 account for 11% of all the alcohol consumed in the States, and more than 90% of that is consumed by binge drinking”.

A night out for this group can call for a lot of consequences caused by the excessive amounts of booze normally consumed. Throwing up, losing memory, being exposed on social media, and acting in manners guided only by impulse are just a few of the common outcomes for teens who drink to excess.

The rise in teenage binge drinkers has become

apparent in the community. “Binge drinkers” are seen in school, in class in the hallways and playing sports, however, they are seen by certain individuals passed out on couches every single weekend.

While it may often be overlooked by binge drinkers, their family and friends are greatly affected by their loved one’s choice to regularly drink copious amounts of alcohol. Worrying for a loved one who is making unhealthy, dangerous choices proves to be one of the biggest burdens that a binge drinker’s family bears.

In social gatherings, there is an almost agreed upon policy for nights involving alcohol. For example, the boys will claim the majority of ownership over the beers, and the girls will drink the hard liquor. With this in mind, one can begin to conceptualize the extent that kids are drinking.

The boys will begin to shovel the beers down their throats, trying to catch up to the girls who are already drunk off of a few shots. Because of varying alcohol percentages, some kids like are those like Taylor who believe that they “have to drink a whole lot more beers than most to really feel the effects of the alcohol.”

The alcohol at an average party consists 50% of beer, 25% mixed drinks and 25% hard liquor. The beer is meant to last all night while it is used for games and is drunk slowly. The other drinks go in minutes. These drinks are mostly consumed by girls. The handles are chugged and mixed drinks snatched up as quickly as possible because of the fear that they’ll be gone soon. Girls lean towards drinking hard alcohol more because it is easier for them to feel something. They drink less in order to feel more, but many of them don’t know the strength of what they’re drinking until it catches up with them. The amount that they are drinking is smaller than the amount of beer an average guy drinks, but the drink has a much stronger effect.

Fake IDs are a major player in terms of the promotion of binge drinking in a variety of ways.

The fact is that all it takes is a combination of $50 and a short wait of 2-3 weeks, to get a fake ID Card. These ID cards scan and allow underage

kids to go into clubs and purchase alcohol. A young looking teenager can easily buy alcohol at a liquor store without being questioned because their ID scans. The fact that you can have the privileges of being 21 at the age of 16 or 17 takes away from the significance of actually turning 21.

With the increased technology that teens have access to in 2020, it’s not uncommon for videos and pictures to be taken of drunk teens making irresponsible choices. This common occurrence has led to many teens fearing the possibility that if they drink too much and act in a way that others find funny, they would risk being put on film. These videos could be seen by parents, teachers, or even colleges which they hope to apply to and lead to unwanted consequences.

Being surrounded by phones mixed with trouble remembering events from parties could lead binge drinkers to be consumed by the fear that they were filmed making irresponsible or dangerous choices, which could lead to embarrassment or even compromise their future.

While binge drinkers often choose to disregard their fears of the consequences, these fears are still present and place a heavy burden on these teens.

It is and never has been a secret that teenagers continue to maintain a common rebellious behavior of underage drinking. However, this generation especially has taken full advantage of the holes in the system. With the boom of Ubers, fake IDs, and other technological advancements, being a binge drinker has never been so easy regardless of the risks associated with it. Recognizing the mental, developmental, and privacy dangers associated with this habit seems to be avoided until the drinker is slapped with their reality, alone in their sober thoughts.

This type of teen fears admitting the truth of their behavior to themselves, so why would they concede to any other person. As Taylor put it, “ You can’t be an alcoholic until you’re out of college.” *all names have been changed 5

COVER STORY

The Silenced:

Conservative Voices at B-CC

BY MADELEINE ABATE AND AVA EVANS The television whirs to life as it comes to focus on the current media coverage. Multiple news anchors and reporters wear fake white smiles and Ann Taylor dresses as they discuss the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

Before their school or workday thousands, if not millions, listen in to hear any updates on the Presidential Democratic debates and primaries, but some teenagers merely want to eat their breakfast or catch up on homework before heading off to school. Some teenagers feel misrepresented, or not even seen at all, as they watch members of Generation Z protesting against President Trump.

Often times, especially at a school like B-CC, which is typically viewed as very liberal and open-minded, members of Generation Z are seen as very progressive and aligning with values of the Democratic Party. However, for those of Generation Z who feel differently, discussions about politics can become awkward or uncomfortable, especially when many teenage Republicans agree that people often “try to demonize people on the right and silence any opposing viewpoints.”

In talking to young Republicans at B-CC, the word “monster” was repeated in many conversations: “Some people think Republicans are monsters, and they’re just like normal people like it doesn’t define who they are. They’re just a cool group of guys and girls who have different political views,” one Republican said.

With the nation so politically divided, future voters of Generation Z “feel like to win the presidential race you have to be… you have to be [more] polar than moderate, so it’s kind of difficult for the perfect candidate to win.” A perfect candidate, it seems that to most, would be an individual with the absolute balance

Anonymous Quotes and Experiences from Conservative Students...

of Republican and Democratic ideals. This is unfortunately almost impossible as so many of those ideals conflict. Several of the main hot topics for presidential candidates are polarizing.

For instance, the subject of gun control legislation is a very popular issue both on the national stage and among the average American citizen.

A senior at B-CC, John*, named gun control as the Democratic belief which he is unable to agree with. John's view is that background checks are very intensive and that eventually, restrictions will become so intense that guns are ultimately banned.

Another common fear in the Republican Party is the emergence of socialism. Both John and Gabe, seniors at B-CC, cited their fear of socialism as being a major concern, especially Bernie Sanders’ proposed health care plan.

A similar trend appeared when interviewing those who met our demographic of interest; specifically the state of political sidings in their homes. It seems that even within these households, there is political polarization. It is not just around their peers do those that identify with the Republican Party face political division and conflict but within their own families. It seems that the prevailing trend has been the father identifying as a Republican and the mother identifying as a Democrat or other political party.

Additionally, compared to households with singular political party affiliation, families with party divisions "don’t talk about politics at the house." At B-CC, the political atmosphere can feel oppressive and restrictive to those who don't fall in line with its progressive and liberal views.

Students have created a democratic slant within the school, which unintentionally restricts and causes harm to those who don't align themselves with liberal views.

*all names have been changed

“Liberals are always talking about diversity and needing more diversity, but why then do they not seem to care about diversity in opinion.”

“One student explains how he is concerned that a person’s social perception is so wrapped up in what they believe politically. He explains that he is conservative but rarely shares his opinion when in political conversations with friends because he is scared they will think lessof him.”

“Being a conservative at B-CC is ‘Unfortunate, annoying, and sometimes lonely.’”

“One student said that he has ‘zero’ concern for how he is perceived with regards to his conservatism. ‘It is what it is, I think what I think.’”

“Some students are scared that other people think they are inherently racist or sexist if they tell them that they are republicans.”

“Another student expressed the concern that people might ostracize him if he shared his honest political opinions.”

QUOTES AND EXPERIENCES GATHERED BY JACK BRANTHOVER, ELLIE McNAMARA AND SYDNEY SKALKA

Bethesda average political opinion, from BestPlaces.net

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MoCo Voting in the 2016 Election, Map from the Baltimore Sun

COVER STORY-OPINION

The Fear of Undersucceeding GRAPHIC BY MOLLY BUSIS

BY FRANNIE ROSEN Today’s obsession with the internet and social media has resulted in each generation being increasingly competitive with one another. The constant comparison of each other’s lives has seeped its way through society, whether it’s about wealth, appearance, or accomplishments.

The anxiety that results persists in the back of people’s minds as they worry that they’re not good enough -- a worry that students are all too familiar with. This fear of under succeeding is especially present in areas with students of high performance, such as the B-CC community. It is no longer enough to have perfect, or near perfect, grades; in addition to excellent academics, to be considered “accomplished” you must be involved in anything and everything you can. Thus, a never-ending cycle forms; as students become more “accomplished” each year, they only set the bar higher for the younger classes. “[The fear of under succeeding] is further than academics and is propagated by this toxic culture that most high schools have. There’s an idea of if you aren’t these set of ways then you are [considered] less than,” said junior JD Gorman.

Gorman is an active member of B-CC TV, partakes in SGA, the swim and dive team, Jazz band, symphonic orchestra, MSP, and Youth Creating Change, to name a few. Students like Gorman who have a high level of involvement still feel pressure, however. Spending his time doing so many activities has become a part of

who he is. Furthermore, students like Gorman feel a pressure to sustain their widespread involvement, because maintaining it is essential to their identity.

Many student athletes at B-CC can feel the pressure to continue their athletic career beyond high school. This pressure stems from a variety of sources. Some students can thrive from this sort of pressure. Sophomore Grayson O’Marra has been playing lacrosse since third grade and plans to continue her career into college. She agrees that there is competitiveness and comparison throughout the community; however, she sees the culture it creates as a good thing for her. She feels, “sometimes having the competitiveness and comparison pushes me even harder to be a better player.”

The competitiveness among students only increases as high school progresses, with the emergence of the college process as students near their final years in high school. With the current rise in grade inflation, it has become the objective of many students to make themselves stand out in the eyes of college admissions officers -- a “doit-for-the-resume” mentality. Students may feel the need to take on as many activities as they can in order to pack their resume, whether they enjoy the activities or not.

Another factor that comes into play is family influence, in two different aspects. The first aspect is a student’s parents or guardian. B-CC is in such an urban area and many parents of

B-CC students have prosperous careers, often following a highquality education pathway. It is logical that adults who were able to succeed in high school and in competitive colleges would expect the same of their children. Whether parents put a burden on their children to succeed directly or indirectly, it is hard for children to shake their natural instinct to make their parents proud. On the other hand, if parents feel as though their child did not live up to their potential as a student, that is a whole other pressure a child might face. To succeed in ways their parents only dreamed they could have been. The second aspect of familial pressure comes from one’s siblings. No matter where one falls in the lineup of their family, siblings can always influence the need one feels to be successful. The oldest might feel a need to set a good example for their younger siblings, whereas the youngest could have the desire to grow beyond the shadow of their older siblings.

The middle child might just wish to stand out amongst them.

In any situation, it is clear that students are plagued by both internal and external pressures.

Extra-curriculars,which one had the purpose to provide a source of enjoyment, are more frequently becoming simply resume material.

The Trouble with Tracking Teens’ Phones

BY KADIJAH BAH AND ALEX WATERMAN With social media, phones, and technology in general becoming increasingly prominent in the lives of teenagers, the temptation for parents to track their teens via technology has grown significantly. Free apps and services such as Life360 and have made it way too easy for parents to track their child’s every move. Life360 is the app that many kids are forced to download on their phone tracks their every move, restricting the freedoms that every high schooler should be allowed to have. Life360’s web page claims that it will bring “your family closer with smart features designed to protect and connect the people who matter most,” but those who have the app claim differently. Ana Borgstede, a senior at B-CC has had the app for six months and has already seen the negative effects that it has on family relationships. “It takes away any trust between them [parents and kids] and exists to ‘catch’ these kids, leaving them paranoid all the time,” Borgstede said.

The app, which has a free version, a plus version, and a “driver protect” version, monitors everything from a simple location, to detecting driving methods, such as an increased acceleration and hard braking. In other words, it stalks you. “Parents may say it’s purely safety-related, but there was a time before I had it where I didn’t have any problems and wasn’t in danger, so it’s hard to believe that’s the only issue,” Borgstede explained. “The app makes me paranoid that I’m going to get caught or confronted even when I’m

not doing anything wrong.”

A poll conducted by SurveyMonkey and Common Sense found an alarming statistic: 26% of parents say they use some sort of monitoring or tracking device to check on what their teens are doing online, while only 15% of teens think their parents do so. With statistics like these and the increasing popularity of tracking applications, many teens fear either they are being tracked without their knowledge or that their parents may start tracking them. This increased amount of parental surveillance and monitoring that has arisen is an invasion of privacy, especially if it is done without their child’s knowledge. Out of the students interviewed by The Tattler who had the app downloaded onto their phone, 100% of them were forced to do so by the instructions of their parents. It’s not bringing families closer together, it’s tearing them further apart. Senior Hayden Renaghan does not have Life360, but her parents use Find My Friends which can also store the history of the locations for days. “I think I have a greater fear that my parents distrust me, not saying I do not give them a reason to, I have made mistakes. But, I do think that they are constantly being able to access my location makes it seem like they don’t trust me very much,” said Renaghan.

Often, parents say that they must track their teen’s phone to ensure their safety. Jib Heintz, a father of a senior at B-CC says that he made his child get the app because they had made poor decisions about their plans before. “The fears I have

for my child’s safety are relieved a little by the app, as it also helps to build lost trust by showing my child is being honest about their location,” Heintz said.

The problem with this is that it leaves the teen’s safety entirely in the hands of the parent and disturbs a key part of their maturing process: learning independence from their parents and responsibility for their own safety. Teens must learn how to be in charge of themselves. This type of intervention into anyone’s life is domineering at the least and doesn’t allow for kids to grow up, make mistakes, and learn from them. Restricting teens in high school could also lead to serious consequences when they go to college, as the first experience of any type of freedom could lead to those kids to make poor decisions, instead of making them in high school. They will enter the world blind and constantly depend on someone else to keep them safe.

In the past, these tracking and monitoring devices weren’t present and there were still means of keeping teenagers safe. The new developments in technology and the continued importance of it in our daily life is no excuse for our privacy to be compromised. A supportive family environment does not stem from knowing exactly what your child is up to. Instead, incorporating trust and taking the word of your child will teach them that they can go to you if they mess up, and this will lead to a much more open relationship and will also lead to more confidence between both the parents and their kids.

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COVER STORY

GRAPHIC BY CAMILO MONTOYA

The Act of Code-Switching

“Code-switching: the process of shifting from one linguistic code (a language or dialect) to another, depending on the social context or conversational setting.” (Britannica)

BY SOPHIE BARRO In the movie Sorry To Bother You, Cassius Green, a young black man, becomes a successful telemarketer after using his “white voice” in front of his white colleagues. This movie addresses the heavy concepts of racism and oppression by white America and reveals the dark reality of labor in a capitalist society. By using the “white voice,” the gap between race and class that society faces is expressed. This is commonly known as codeswitching.

Talking differently among family, friends, different race, etc., is a form of code-switching.

Many African Americans do this because they feel the need to change the way they express themselves. They also do it to diminish or hide that they are black when they are around people of different ethnic or racial backgrounds.

Recently, I have noticed how often I do it along with many other minorities at B-CC. Most of us interact differently when we are with our friends compared to when we were in an interview. As a result, code-switching occurs often between black and white people.

The film “Sorry to Bother You” demonstrates what most African Americans may agree with; that the ability to code-switch is the way to being a successful person in a racially oppressive society.

Due to the history of slavery and segregation, 8

different cultural norms and ways of speaking to others have emerged between black and white people. I have experienced being the only black person in a room, and without hesitation, I shifted my attitude and speech. My thoughts were quickly trying to find the “right” things to say, and once I spoke, I noticed I code-switched. I have to admit I was ashamed for trying to change

“For African Americans, it is a performative expression that has not only helped some of us thrive in mainstream culture--it has helped many of us survive.” my attitude when speaking in front of a group of white people.

Civil rights advocate, W.E.B Debois once said, “For African Americans, it is a performative expression that has not only helped some of us thrive in mainstream culture--it has helped many of us survive.” Some African Americans view the ability to code-switch as an essential skill to move

successfully all through life.

Within law enforcement, black people are three times more likely to be killed by police than white people. Because of this, many African Americans, including myself, have had the “talk” by our parents to warn and prepare us for confrontation by law enforcement. At a young age, black children are taught to “keep our hands where the officer can see them”, “not argue or yell at the officer”, “do what the officer says to do”, etc.

Those conversations are a response to the main culture’s attitude towards Black people and Black culture.

In a study conducted by Stanford University, researchers revealed that Black drivers experience traffic stops at higher rates than White people. Black drivers are 31% more likely to be pulled over by police than white drivers (Washington Post). Code-switching occurs far more often than you think because Black people still feel like they have to hide themselves. Codeswitching would not exist if everyone was simply accepted into society for themselves; not their culture or the way they talk. However, because of how white privilege has been embedded into every social institution in American society, Black people find the need to code-switch to be accepted into a society that is already pre-made to reject them.

GRAPHIC BY MOLLY BUSIS

Antisemitism in the Political Mainstream

BY ELI GLICKMAN Antisemitism in our schools is on the rise.

Between 2015 and 2017, antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools jumped 400% according to PBS. In 2017, school property had the highest number of antisemitic incidents. This has been reflected in our own community, with swastikas drawn at B-CC and its two feeder middle schools, Westland and Silver Creek.

Where’s the outcry? Where’s the backlash?

Unfortunately, It is nowhere to be found. I fear that antisemitism has become normalized in our society.

The Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement, BDS, has become the far left’s newest smokescreen for antisemitic tropes in the name of standing up to Israel. BDS rejects Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and spews misinformation, seeking to delegitimatize Israel and Judaism across the globe.

Calling it out for antisemitism, however, makes you the victim of the far left’s callout culture.

The Democratic party has danced around condemning antisemitism within its ranks. This trend is best exemplified by Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, who questioned American Jews’ loyalty to Israel, echoing the antisemitic claim that Jews are more loyal to Israel than their home countries. After a stream of virulent antisemitic remarks that lacked a meaningful apology, House Representatives rallied to pass a resolution condemning her antisemitism until intense backlash stopped them from ratifying the original version. Instead of calling her, and her antisemitism, out by name, the resolution was remarkably inadequate for American Jews; Democratic lawmakers claimed that Omar was being singled out unfairly in the original resolution. Meanwhile, others were quick to rally behind Omar. Notably, former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke, publicly praised Omar saying, “By defiance to Z.O.G. [Zionist Occupation Government] Ilhan Omar is NOW the most important Member of the US Congress!” The Democrats’ remarkable inability to address this speaks volumes.

Right-wing antisemitism is growing too. In 2017, President Trump claimed that there were “very fine people, on both sides,” referring to a group of mostly peaceful counter protesters and a group of neo-nazis and white supremacists; in saying this, he helped legitimize nazism and antisemitism.

Mr. Trump has also questioned how Jews could vote Democrat while simultaneously claiming to support Israel; in echoing the claim that American Jews share allegiance between Israel and the U.S, he legitimized the ideas that Jews should not be trusted. The Republican party was--in large part-silent in condemning these remarks.

But it’s the deafening silence of the media that speaks the loudest about the normalization of antisemitism. Even this publication failed to adequately address antisemitism it published last year. The opinion piece echoed antisemitic tropes, claiming that Israel had control of important media platforms, specifically, Facebook. It echoed the centuries-old claim that Jews control the media, even though Facebook always had the ultimate

COVER STORY-OPINION

What The Rise in Antisemitism Means to Me as a Jewish Student

BY LAURA JULIA FLEISCHMAN

discretion in the matter. Its author also referenced the firing of Marc Lamont Hill for ‘condemning Israeli human rights violations;’ he was actually fired for repeating terrorist rhetoric calling for the destruction of Israel. The response of The Tattler as a publication was muted. They said that it was an opinion article, and covered a watereddown reaction while neglecting to publish the more serious complaints they had received for the article. Instead of voicing many of the complaints, they said the article received “significant attention from the B-CC community.” Instead of apologizing, the author admitted “that he probably should have included the entire story [about Marc Lamont Hill].”

How can anyone be surprised when swastikas appear in our schools, Jews are attacked on the streets and in their homes, when our community is in denial about true antisemitism? The media has played a large part in this normalization.

Their unwillingness to cover blatant antisemitism with scrutiny, has effectively apologized for antisemitism on both the right and the left.

This, of course, brings me to fear: the topic for this month’s edition. Many Jews like me fear antisemitism becoming popularized again. People across the country tweet ‘never again’ on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) but a diminishing number of people actually know what the Holocaust was. Many of us fear discrimination and assault as the number of violent antisemitic crimes rises.

Maintaining a religiously tolerant society is not just about condemning the synagogue shooter, but also calling out those who advance or neglect antisemitic rhetoric. I fear that, once again, Jews will be marginalized and massacred and that the world will stand by silently. In the chilling words of Martin Niemöller in 1946, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

The Republicans and the Democrats need to single out their radical wings of their parties that advance antisemitism. As a society, we cannot normalize antisemitism. Our society has a duty to fight against injustice and intolerance, not to normalize it.

In 1925, my grandfather, Arno Fleischmann, was born into a Jewish family in Bayreuth, Germany. Although originally from Spain, my family felt a strong connection to Germany and loved being German.

That all soon changed.

My grandfather was eight years old in 1933 when Adolf Hitler came to power as the Chancellor of Germany. On the weekend of my grandfather’s bar mitzvah, Jewish storefronts and buildings across Germany were smashed during what was later called Kristallnacht -- the night of broken glass. The synagogue in Bayreuth was burnt out on the inside, and my grandfather was never able to have a Bar Mitzvah. He was forced to leave everything behind and immigrate to the United States as a refugee in a time where the U.S. was permeated with xenophobia. His grandparents and aunt were not as lucky. They never made it out of Germany and died in concentration camps.

To me, the issue of antisemitism is personal. Not only am I Jewish, but I directly descend from those who perished in the Holocaust. The Anti-Defamation League, an anti-hate organization, led a groundbreaking 2014 poll revealing that more than one billion people worldwide hold anti-Semitic views. And in the United States, there has been a major increase in anti-Semitic attacks, including the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh where a white supremacist gunned down 11 worshipers in the single deadliest anti-Semitic attack in the history of the United States.

B-CC and Montgomery County are not exempt from this increase in national antisemitism. I was in 7th grade when the Westland bathroom was vandalized with Swastikas, and I was not at all surprised when this year B-CC’s bathroom was vandalized with Swastikas as well. Unfortunately, B-CC is not alone.

Last spring, Bannockburn Elementary School in Bethesda was vandalized with Swastikas and curse words. In January, a swastika was spray-painted in bright orange on a wall outside Richard Montgomery High School.

In November of 2018, a swastika was found drawn on a classroom desk at Winston Churchill High School. And most recently, Silver Creek was vandalized with swastikas as well.

Antisemitism in our schools goes beyond just those incidents. It’s also the jokes people make about the Holocaust, the disregard for Jewish history, and the overall disrespect towards Jewish people. These repeated incidents in our very own county - in our community - are frightening. They make me realize that the ideals of justice and acceptance my grandfather fought so hard for as a refugee and a U.S. soldier during World War II are harder to find. Instead, hate is seeping its way into everyday life.

9

DAY ZERO On January 30th, I was told that I am officially cancer free. The struggle and pain of the chemotherapy and its side effects: the constant drilling pains of a headache, the never ending waves of nausea that came at any time of day, the horrible feeling of a body pumped full of unsuccessful pain meds, laying there just waiting for something to kick in. All of that is finally over. I always imagined myself jumping in the air, excited or screaming out in joy, if I ever came across this news. In reality, none of that happened. As the doctors words spilled out from her mouth, I felt a sense of calm and relief fall all over me. It was like a thousand pounds had been lifted from my shoulders. But at the same time, the daunting gloom of the uncertain future was keeping me restrained from enjoying my victory too much.

Today is Wednesday, February 12. The day that I have been waiting for all my life. It’s the day that I’ve always wished to have and the date I feared I would never live to.

Today is the day to discuss transplants.

Officially!

It is 9:40 AM right now and my appointment with the NIH is right around the corner, but still a few hours away.

I’m feeling excited, yet nervous and kind of scared at the same time. I always described my transplant as this moving target that always slipped away from me every time I got close to it, since its been delayed a few times in the past and I’m afraid that it will happen again. I’m scared that I will go into this appointment and have them tell me that they decided to delay the transplant for whatever reason. I’m scared that if I go to this appointment with my hopes high, that 10

I will be let down and crushed by not getting what I’ve always wished for. But just like any fear, I have to face it and see what comes from it.

The process of transplant is pretty simple, and at the same time,very sensitive. Essentially everyone has an immune system, but because of

DOCK8 mine is “compromised” and not as strong as everyone else, so I’m prone to getting sick a lot.

The first thing the doctors want to do is give a heavy dose of chemotherapy and radiation. This period of wiping out the immune systems and its cells can last between 1-2 weeks.

After that, a donor bone marrow is filtered and given to the patient. The day that the patients get the new bone marrow infusion is

called “DAY ZERO.” It marks the start of the new cell transplantation. The patient has to stay in a 30 day quarantine in the hospital as they wait for the new cells to start growing. The next 60 days are spent out of quarantine but under strong moniterization. Then the patient is free to leave the hospital but must follow up with your doctors frequently and regularly over a two year period to ensure that everything is going in the right direction.

It is 6:46 pm, February 12th.

I have just come back from the NIH, with mixed emotions and with both good and bad news.

Thankfully we have officially set up a “day zero” to be March 6, but I will be admitted a week before on the 28th of February.

I have 2 weeks of work up tests and scans before I am admitted.

For example: MRI/ CT scans, and I have to visit almost every type of doctor you can think of. The sad part is, the next two weeks will be the last of my junior year. Under doctors orders, I have to stay away from densely populated areas such as schools and crowded malls 6 months after transplant.

After receiving wonderful news of my transplant, I am no longer scared by the fears of not getting a transplant date.

Instead I am met with a new fear, a new scare. The fear of isolation.

I have never been an extremely social person nor have I been an introvert, I kind of just landed in the middle.

However when first coming to B-CC, I made a promise to myself that this year I would try to become an extreme extrovert, to step out of my comfort zone and meet new people at all times. This decision might as well be one of the smartest things I ever done. I realised that so many good things because of it, such as joining the newspaper or making a bunch of close friends. The thought of having to go from being very social to being completely isolated frightens me, it feels intimidating and scary. However every victory requires sacrifice and I know my friends, peers, and family are always supporting me. So in a way, I am never really alone.

Moonie smiles in the face of his upcoming round of treatment against childhood DOCK8

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOONI KHALIFAH

BY MOONI KHALIFAH

PHOTOS BY YAEL CHIAPPORI

BY JULIANA CAPIZZI AND COURTNEY WILKS

MoCAT, the Museum of Contemporary American Teenagers, is a popup museum run by student leaders from the Montgomery County area for the past two years . In previous years, it’s been held at store front locations, old banks, and will now be held at a house in Bethesda. Opening this month, the museum focuses on the idea of fear and the role that it plays in teenagers’ lives.

Anna Hoover, one of the directors of the museum, said that although they “got the space in early December”, they “really started working at the end of December” because they had to clean the location. Since they’re working in a house, the artists have to be conscious about what gets done because the house will be given to a homeless family after the museum closes. “It’s cool to transform the entire house. [The artists] are painting the walls and creating interesting sculptures” said Hoover.

The museum isn’t like a stereotypical museum with each piece perfectly placed along a wall, but it is more of an interactive museum with pieces scattered all throughout the space. Exhibits range from beautifully painted murals to live speakers. Since it is student organized, Hoover said “there’s not really a sense of hierarchy or authority.” What comes from this environment is “a really unique space where students can express themselves without boundaries” and, at the end of the day, everyone working on the museum has the “same goal [which is to] explore each other’s fears.” “It’s not often that you’re free to fully express your fears in an uncensored environment” said, Audrey Pechilis, another director of MoCAT. Pechilis believes the theme of fear is important “because many teenagers are forced to deal with a ton of pressure and still

often get overlooked by adults.”

There are a number of artists working on making the museum what it is. They’re not only from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, but also from Blair, Whitman, Einstein, and other Montgomery County schools.

One artist from B-CC, junior Kelsea Petersen, is painting a mural that depicts her fear of not being able to influence the future. As a student activist, she hopes that she will make an impact on today’s world, but she’s afraid that “no matter how hard student activists fight, there’s a distinct possibility that nothing will change.” Most of her work involves typography, but she also wanted to make “a massive collage of things [she] saw as facets of modern activism.” Using these two concepts, she came up with the idea to create a mural that reads “I’m terrified that we may not save the world.” Peterson said that inside each individual letter, she’s “painting images of what [she] thinks encompass the experience of being a student activist in the modern political climate.”

In addition to school work, tests, and other events in her life, she’s dedicating “2-3 hours for each letter” which she predicts will have her spending a total of 64 hours on the mural.

Another junior from B-CC, Tilly Sandmeyer, is creating a “map of fear” as she calls it. As a photographer and activist, she has taken countless photos from the protest and marches she has attended. Her art will contain photos with captions from the people pictured and there will be red string all along the photos connecting each one.

Senior Camilo Montoya, also from B-CC, has created an audio installation that depicts how children can be affected by war. Montoya stated, “We blocked off a very small area in the

attic and are turning it into a child’s bunker.

The idea is that a small group of people will sit down inside the bunker and listen together to the track.” Montoya’s track will contain “real sound recordings from wars” making the experience even more moving for the audience.

As beautiful as MoCAT is, it symbolizes something so much bigger. All of the students participating are sharing and collaborating with others over their shared fears. MoCAT has always been impactful and so different from other museums, but this year the theme will speak to the attendees. The fears presented may not always be shared among all the viewers but the need for change in the environment, gun control, and anxieties that students face, are given a platform and a place to be discussed in the museum. The museum can cause realizations for viewers who may not have thought about a certain perspective on fear before. The fears expressed by teenagers need to be shared because change is necessary, and even the simple acknowledgment that these issues are truly occurring in teens’s everyday lives is important.

The Museum will be open from March 20th to the 22nd all day. At the museum, there will be a number of paintings, murals, sculptures, and other visual and audio presentations.

The directors want to do the most for this museum, allowing for people to leave with a new perspective on fear. Everyone working on the museum has put in time, dedication, and effort and are hoping for a good turn out of people to view the amazing pieces in the museum. Pechilis hopes that the event will “show people that they are not alone in how they feel as well as foster an atmosphere of understanding and respect rather than intolerance within the community.”

11 11

NEWS

B-CC Debate Places First in Montgomery County of us because it’s the capstone of how far we’ve come as a team. We started four years ago as a team trying to establish ourselves as someone worth taking seriously, but now we’ve established ourselves as just that, and maybe more.” When the team began five years ago, B-CC Debate was getting crushed by the top team, Richard Montgomery, but they were improving each year.

“This year our goal was first place, but 4 years ago that would have been so far out of reach it would not have even been a goal. I’m proud of how far the kids have come over the last four years, especially this year’s seniors,” said Mr. Gallagher.

Juniors Roy Tiefer and Eli Glickman are the first B-CC debate pair to qualify for nationals in about 20 years. They’ve been traveling around the country and debating on the national circuit, after beating Whitman to qualify for nationals.

Tiefer said, “We travel to tournaments all across the country like every other weekend and compete with other schools, be they neighbors from Blair or strangers from Alaska.”

The debaters from B-CC credit much of their success to how they work together as a team. Bresnicky said, “This was a team-wide achievement, with everyone contributing to our success.” Whether it was going out to celebrate after a tournament, or as what Akwei called “frantic discussions between rounds,” the debaters were there to support each other.

Instead of simply being a collection of pairs, they functioned as one team. Junior Roy Tiefer said, “We operate together, or not at all.”

Although, none of this would be possible without Mr. Gallagher. Coaching a team of about 60 students is not easy. Junior Ella Trevelyan said, “We have an amazing coach and a team full of strong-willed and goal-oriented debaters that worked hard to prepare for every individual

debate, and that showed in our record.” By guiding the team in its preparation and pushing students to be the best they can, the students were able to debate their way to the top. In addition to debating itself, the students have also learned life lessons from Mr. Gallagher. Akwei said, “We had to learn how to see both sides to an issue, something that you don’t get to do a lot in our world today, and that made all of us better prepared to navigate the world around us.” Mr. Gallagher has made B-CC Debate an experience the debaters will never forget. Being a senior, Bresnicky said, “I’ll miss Mr. Gallagher. He’s our number one supporter, and has devoted so much time to molding this team into the strong debaters we’ve become!”

PHOTO BY DANIEL GALLAGHER

BY MIA ROMANO Since September, B-CC’s debate team has been hard at work preparing for and competing in tournaments. After researching and preparing for both sides of an argument, they debate with students from other schools in Montgomery County. “We have a tournament every month with a new resolution that’s usually about a current event or topical subject. Some from the past have been about free community college, lifting sanctions on Venezuela, and using offensive cyber operations,” said Anya Sokolowski, a junior on B-CC Debate. Since they could be told to argue for either side of a topic, debaters need to be ready for both beforehand. Weekly practices consist of discussing the resolution, contentions, and evidence, along with working on speech and presentation skills.

On February 20th, the second day of Montgomery County Debate Finals, B-CC Debate was awarded 1st Place in the league. “It’s a truly crazy feeling! There are so many talented people at these tournaments so it definitely was not an easy battle for B-CC — which makes winning feel so incredible! At the same time, our team worked really hard this season and put it all out there, so it feels great to see the grind pay off,” said senior Sophie Bresnicky, one of the captains. On the first day of finals, the competitors consist of about 70 pairs that make it out of 300. Then in order to move forward to the second day, pairs have to get into the top 16. The B-CC Debate coach, Mr. Gallagher said, “B-CC was able to get 6 pairs in the top 16, which is the most we’ve ever gotten before.”

The team gave up lunches and weekends to prepare, but all of their hard work got them to where they are now. Senior Arjun Akwei said, “Being first place in the league means a lot to all

PICTURED ABOVE LEFT FROM RIGHT IN THE TOP ROW IS MIRIAM YAKOBASHVILI, LILINAZ HAKIMI, NICOLE VANDERZON, JULIANA BLAYNEY. BOTTOM ROW LEFT FROM RIGHT IS KARINA VASUDEVA AND SOPHIE BRESNICKY.

SGA Surpasses Goal for Charity Month

BY ISABEL DANZIS AND JOSH GARBER The Student Government Association (SGA) and student body of B-CC raised over $21,500 in the month of February for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), surpassing their original goal of $20,000.

This year’s total was a dramatic shift from previous years, raising nearly ten times the amount of the last two years. In 2018 and 2019, B-CC had the two lowest performing years, with B-CC only raising $1,766 and $2,268, respectively.

According to school-wide SGA coordinator Ms. Trimble, this year’s result was vastly different from the previous year because of the SGA and general student body’s passion to have a more successful year,. “Our SGA was really enthusiastic from the beginning that they wanted to do something big with charity month,” said Ms. Trimble.

Around November all class SGAs met to discuss the plans for charity month. “We had our first GA (general assembly) with [the other class SGAs] about Charity month, and Hayden [Reneghan] did a really good job of laying out what our vision was for charity month and how we needed their help with communicating our the events, fundraising, planning and executing events, so I 12

think starting with that everyone bought into it very quickly,” Ms. Trimble said.

The SGA raised most of the money through a combination of activities, fundraisers and donations. “We did take a different approach to fundraising this year as we made it a goal to have as many fundraisers as possible and to try and reach the most diverse amount of the student body that we could,” said school-wide SGA President Hayden Reneghan.

The first fundraising event for charity month was the winter dance. Ever since 2015, B-CC has only held one school-wide dance: homecoming.

This year the SGA managed to secure a winter dance to kick off charity month.

Throughout the month, SGA brought in a host of activities to the school in addition to organizing fundraisers in the Bethesda area. Ranging from a corepower yoga class to the Mr. B-CC pageant, the SGA was able to bring a diverse array of activities for students to participate in at B-CC. The SGA set up fundraisers at Jeni’s Ice Cream, Matchbox, and the Parkway Deli. The SGA also sold flower grams, allowing students to contact each other, and on the last day of charity month, the SGA hosted a Dodgeball tournament after the pep rally.

Student participation in charity month

seemed to have increased from previous years.

“I definitely saw more school participation this year than in years past and that is really exciting because overall participation is what will help us raise the most money,” Rengahan said.

Ms. Trimble also saw this uptake in student participation. “We worked really hard to plan all these events and students came out to the events, which was awesome,” said Ms. Trimble.

“I think historically, we’ve had a hard time with attendance at these different things that are fun school spirit related, but our goal is trying to change the culture a little bit; we want to see students excited about this type of stuff and I think we’re starting to see it.”

The SGA is hoping to take the success of this year and replicate it next year. “We’re going to come back together this week and reflect on what our successes were and really hammer out specifically what we did and make sure that we can do that next year. We want to raise more next year, we’re just going to keep at it,” said Ms. Trimble.

The money raised by B-CC will help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society continue support families of patients and find cures for blood cancer.

Rape Case: A Conversation Started OPINION

BY ALEX WATERMAN

A couple of days after a news report on a B-CC student allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl was internally shared with the student body, Dr. Mooney visited The Tattler classroom to receive feedback on how the administration communicated and handled the case to the rest of the school community.

The conversation was great. Issues across the board were raised, including why the school wasn’t allowed to release any information but also covering the overall reaction and response of the administration. In general, many students were concerned with the lack of communication that occurred, including the fact that there was no mention of the case by the school until almost a week after the article first came out with the alleged details. By this time, most students and staff were aware of the incident but also relied on all of their information from the one article that had been published.

In an email that had been sent out to Blair and B-CC communities, both principals commented on the case and the response of the community by stating, “Under Maryland law, MCPS must provide free public education to all students aged 5 to 21… There is no data suggesting that being a high school student at 19, 20 or 21 makes a person more or less likely to commit a crime.

Any suggestion otherwise is wrong and harmful

to our students who work hard every day in their classrooms, extracurricular activities and jobs.”

The xenophobic response that has been outwardly publicized and exploited by other news outlets should not take away from the importance of coming together in a time like this. Members of the community expressed their concern that students with pending immigration status should not be allowed to attend school if they are over the age of 18. This not only signals out a particular group, but also creates a racist and exclusive environment. As mentioned in the email, there will be hundreds of students walking across the stage this year that will be over the age of 18, and no student with the drive to learn should be turned away due to their nationality.

Rightfully so, the administration needed to take their time releasing the information and facts to the student body because of legalities.

Although, what would have been more helpful and communicative would be a small statement given by the administration that they understand the students’ concerns and worries, and that even though they are unable to give us more information or details on the case, they have systems in place to help students who may be

having difficult emotional responses to the story.

Victims of Crime said, “Over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth ages 14 to 17 had been sexually victimized.” If this percentage was applied to our student body, then over 600 students would have been or will be sexually assaulted as a high schooler. The message in this is: sexual assault happens, and you are not alone.

As a school though, communication and conversation need to start now. Within just a 35 minute session with Dr. Mooney, students were able to share and express their concerns, but also discuss and give ideas for what administration could put in place in order to support all students.

Ideas such as class discussions were brought up, as well as creating safe places that students can go to if they needed extra emotional support, instead of going to your counselor and possibly waiting in a line (or instead of finding themselves missing class and crying alone in the bathroom, as many of us can admit to doing).

Our community is already strong, but will only grow stronger by coming together and talking about how behavior like this must end. Let this be the time for a change.

13

OPINION

The Lack of Latin American Role Models in MCPS Schools

Montgomery County Public Schools made national headlines once again as two students, ages 20 and 19, were arrested on sexual assault allegations involving two 11-year-old girls. With one of the alleged offenders being a student at B-CC, the incident sparked a justified feeling of uneasiness across students, staff, and parents.

Although we are no stranger to upsetting incidents involving B-CC students, this is easily one of the most heartbreaking stories ever to hit the shores of our community. Our natural instinct has always been to search for answers within the wreckage that the wave leaves behind, rather than looking into the force that originated it.

Without a doubt, the crimes in question are horrifying and the offenders cannot be trusted to be reintroduced into our society if found guilty in a court of law. However, in order to begin the process of healing that our community needs after events like these have taken place, we need to first make an effort to understand the source of the problem so that together we can find a solution to this cycle.

Out of all the media outlets, WJLA and Daily Mail chose to make a very clear emphasis on the Immigration Status and ages of the two students in their reports of the incidents criticizing the county for allowing undocumented students over the age of 18 to attend our schools. In a letter to parents, the principals from both B-CC and Blair reminded everyone that under Maryland law, MCPS must provide a free public education to all students aged 5 to 21,” and that “there is no data suggesting that being high school students at 19, 20, or 21 makes a person more or less likely to commit a crime.”

These anti-immigrant narratives disguised as news reports did nothing but further deceive their already misled audience. The cause and solution to these aggravating crimes lie within the countries of origin of the perpetrators.

Uruguayan writer, Eduardo Galeano, most notably referred to Latin America as an “intimate land condemned to amnesia.” A quote, that I 14

believe, holds the answer that our community needs.

From the moment the Spaniard ships pierced through the coasts of our continent, a wound was opened that centuries of pain, oppression, and abuse allowed it to become rooted in the core of our existence. In the face of oppression, our ancestors had no option but to resort to violence as their only way to stand up to their oppressors and fight for their dignity. This fighter spirit that was crucial to our rise as a civilization has continued to be fostered as the struggle for equality and liberation continues to shape our history.

Being a neighboring region to one of the great powers of the world, Central America has been cursed with having some of the most deteriorating U.S. funded armed conflicts, whose effects will continue to show for many years to come. The psychological effects of these wars have continued to haunt us for generations.

Untreated, inherited trauma that our parents have passed down to us resulting from horrifying experiences during times of war combined with being brought up in a culture that from a very early age sets false expectations on young men to show strength and dominance at all times are two forgotten historical factors that have predetermined the way our generation of men will grow up to be, unless we do something about it.

Both directly and indirectly, we are taught that in order to be men we must be controlling, forceful and aggressive. A behavior that is especially expected to be used in our relationships with women who at the same are taught to be accepting of it. This translates into the alarming problem of sexual violence towards women that we face all across Latin America.

Although there are notable movements by young men and women from urbanized areas to move as far away as possible from the patriarchal standards we were forced to grow up under, the problem has remained untouched in rural areas where the average boy will be taken out of

school by the 5th grade, some even going as far as becoming the only providers for their families before even going through puberty.

The immigrant experience is defined by the area of origin of the person and how much of a cultural shock they experience upon their arrival at a new country. On top of all the struggles that come with immigrating, kids who are originally from rural areas struggle the most out of all of us because they are also coming into an urban setting for the first time in their lives.

A great amount of young Central American immigrants enrolled in MCPS arrived in this country as unaccompanied minors and are currently living on their own or with a distant relative. This has left the boys to figure out how to be men all on their own while also learning a whole new language and becoming adjusted to living in a completely different culture therefore in urgent need for Latino male role models to exhibit exemplary behavior in and out of the classroom.

In MCPS, Central American Immigrants are the fastest-growing student population. Despite this, our schools have failed to take the proper steps towards attempting to understand the culture we come from and the need for proper Latino representation in their staff. In 2018, a study by Johns Hopkins University found that black children who had two black teachers were 32% more likely to go to college than their peers who didn’t have black teachers at all.

B-CC currently has only one Central American educator in the entire school, and it has been that way for many years.

Our county is failing at providing the most forgotten group of students at our schools, with the possibility to see themselves portrayed as something better than what the media makes us out to be. If we truly want every student that passes through our school system to become a valuable member of our society, we need to start by instilling values that overtake any wrong teachings that our students may be operating under.

GRAPHIC BY CAMILO MONTOYA

BY CAMILO MONTOYA

LA VIDA

Las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Montgomery volvieron a ser noticia a nivel nacional cuando dos estudiantes, de 20 y 19 años, fueron arrestados por acusaciones de agresión sexual involucrando dos niñas de 11 años. Dado que uno de los presuntos delincuentes era un estudiante del B-CC, el incidente provocó un sentimiento de intranquilidad entre el cuerpo estudiantil, personal escolar y padres de familia.

Aunque ya nos hemos acostumbrado a tener incidentes involucrando a estudiantes de B-CC, esta es fácilmente una de las historias más desgarradoras que han llegado a las costas de nuestra comunidad. Nuestro instinto natural ante situaciones similares ha sido buscar respuestas entre los restos que la ola dejó, en vez de buscar la fuerza que la originó.

Sin duda, los crímenes en cuestión son absolutamente horrorosos y no podemos confiar en la reintroducción de los acusados a nuestra sociedad si son declarados culpables de sus crímenes por un tribunal. Sin embargo, para comenzar el proceso de sanación que necesitamos como comunidad después de que eventos como estos hayan ocurrido, necesitamos hacer un esfuerzo para entender la fuente del problema para que juntos podamos encontrar una solución a este ciclo De todos los medios de comunicación, WJLA y Daily Mail decidieron hacer un énfasis muy claro en el estatus migratorio y las edades de los dos estudiantes en sus informes de los incidentes que critican al condado por permitir estudiantes indocumentados mayores de 18 años asistir a nuestras escuelas. En una carta a los padres, los directores tanto de B-CC como de Blair les recordaron a todos que bajo la ley del estado de Maryland, las escuelas del condado deben proveer una educación pública gratuita a todos los estudiantes de 5 a 21 años,” y que “no hay datos que sugieran que ser estudiantes de secundaria a los 19, 20 o 21 años hace que una persona sea más o menos propensa a cometer un crimen.”

Estas narrativas anti-inmigrante camufladas como noticias, no hicieron más que engañar aún más a su ya engañada audiencia. La causa, y solución de estos delitos se encuentran en los países de origen de sus causantes. El escritor Uruguayo, Eduardo Galeano, más notablemente

se refirió a América Latina como una “tierra entrañable condenada a la amnesia”. Una cita, que creo, contiene la respuesta que nuestra comunidad necesita.

Desde el momento en que los barcos Españoles atravesaron las costas de nuestro continente, se abrió una herida que siglos de dolor, opresión y abuso permitieron que se convirtiera en la esencia de nuestra existencia. Frente a la opresión, nuestros antepasados no tuvieron otra opción que recurrir a la violencia como única forma de enfrentarse a sus opresores y luchar por su dignidad. Este espíritu de lucha que fue crucial para nuestro ascenso como civilización, continúa siendo promovido mientras nuestra la lucha por la igualdad y liberación continúa moldeando nuestra historia.

Siendo la región vecina a una de las potencias más grandes del mundo, América Central ha sido maldecida con conflictos armados increíblemente deteriorativos, financiados por los EE.UU., cuyos efectos seguirán mostrándose durante muchos años. Los efectos psicológicos de estas guerras nos han ido persiguiendo por muchas generaciones.

Los traumas heredados y no tratados que nuestros padres nos han transmitido como resultado de experiencias horribles durante los tiempos de guerra, combinados con haber sido criados en una cultura que establece expectativas en los hombres jóvenes, que promueven el uso de la fuerza y agresión en todo momento.

Tanto directa como indirectamente, se nos enseña que para ser hombres debemos ejercer control, energía y agresión. Un comportamiento que especialmente se espera que sea usado en nuestras relaciones con las mujeres que a la vez se les enseña a aceptarlo. Esto se ha convertido en el alarmante problema de violencia sexual hacia las mujeres que actualmente enfrentamos en toda América Latina.

Aunque hay notables movimientos de hombres y mujeres jóvenes de zonas urbanizadas para alejarse lo más posible de los estándares patriarcales bajo los que nos vemos obligados a crecer, el problema ha permanecido intacto en las zonas rurales, donde el varón promedio será sacado de la escuela en el 5º grado, algunos llegando incluso a convertirse en los únicos proveedores de sus

familias antes de pasar por la pubertad.

La experiencia del inmigrante es definida por la zona de origen de la persona y por el choque cultural que experimenta al llegar a un nuevo país. Además de la gran lucha que se vive al emigrar, los niños originarios de zonas rurales les toca luchar más que todos nosotros, ya que están entrando a un entorno urbano por primera vez en sus vidas.

Una gran cantidad de jóvenes inmigrantes Centroamericanos atendiendo las escuelas del condado de Montgomery llegaron a este país como menores no acompañados y actualmente viven solos o con un pariente lejano. Esto ha dejado niños a aprender cómo ser hombres por sí mismos, mientras también aprendiendo un nuevo idioma y adaptándose a vivir en una cultura completamente diferente. Por estas razones, hay una necesidad urgente de modelos masculinos Latinos que puedan demostrar un comportamiento ejemplar dentro y fuera del aula.

El número de inmigrantes centroamericanos en MCPS ha ido aumentando significativamente cada año escolar. A pesar de esto, nuestras escuelas no han dado los pasos adecuados para tratar de entender la cultura de la que venimos y la gran necesidad de representación Latina en su personal. En 2018, un estudio de la Johns Hopkins University encontró que los niños negros que tenían dos maestros negros tenían un 32% más de probabilidades de ir a la universidad que sus compañeros que no tenían maestros negros. B-CC tiene actualmente un solo educador centroamericano en toda la escuela, y así ha sido durante muchos años.

Nuestro condado está fallando en proveer al grupo de estudiantes más olvidado de nuestras escuelas, con la posibilidad de verse retratados dignamente y no como los medios de comunicación nos presentan en las noticias.

Si realmente queremos que cada estudiante que pase por nuestro sistema escolar se convierta en un miembro valioso de nuestra sociedad, tenemos que empezar por inculcar valores que superen cualquier enseñanza errónea bajo la que nuestros estudiantes puedan estar operando.

La falta de líderes latinos en las escuelas de MCPS POR CAMILO MONTOYA

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Restorative JusticeIs it Used in High Schools?

BY RACHEL AUERBACH AND JOSH GARBER Over the past two months, the B-CC community has been on notice for several incidents that have allegedly occurred inside and outside the walls of B-CC. A month ago, a group of students broke the F-wing elevator. A few weeks ago, a student posted an inappropriate meme on Twitter. A few weeks ago, a B-CC student and a Blair student were accused of raping an 11-year-old girl. And most recently, a B-CC senior was caught allegedly contributing to the attack of another B-CC student in one of the bathrooms in the school.

While the incidents all obviously differ greatly in severity, all four involved, or will involve, the collaboration of the school and the police department to assess the case and administer viable punishment that will effectively respond to the incident.

However, to the student body, the process in which a student is punished is very unclear. Students are given the student code of conduct at the beginning of the year, yet few open up the book and learn the consequences that will be given for various actions.

So, how does the administration determine their punishments? How involved is the police in each punishment?

How are consequences decided for students who commit non-violent or non-drug related offenses? Are students involved in the process?

In a discussion between The Tattler, newly instated Resource Officer John Gallagher, and Assistant School Administrator Rebecca Sutton, Ms. Sutton laid out the process in which the administration handles specific situations.

“Within [the student code of conduct], each type of behavioral type incident has a scale of the type of consequences that should be applied. When we as an administrative team have something brought to us, it typically means we passed that first level because the first level is classroombased,” said Ms. Sutton. “After that, there is a spectrum of responses that can lead to a tenday suspension with a recommendation of expulsion.”

The Resource Officer is required to look into

FEATURE

all incidents in relation to the school. There are certain incidents or crimes committed that the school doesn’t even investigate and is sent straight to the police. Conversely, Officer Gallagher said, “If it’s something that I believe has not reached a level of severity, I turn it over to the school.”

But for the minor cases that do not require the police to take action, the schools actions may involve restorative justice practices.

Around this time last year, restorative justice seeped through the hallways and classrooms of B-CC in response to the notorious “IB List” -which ranked females in the IB program based on their physical appearance. The students featured on the list deemed it more beneficial to educate rather than punish in this situation and used class presentations to teach the student body about the dangers of toxic masculinity

schools as well as an alternative to detentions, suspensions, and expulsions. In restorative justice schools, a response to bullying, harassment or other offenses often involves bringing the affected parties together to discuss the situation and how to make amends and move past it. “Restorative practices are voluntary, and it often takes time to help all those involved in ready to engage in that work,” Ms. Sutton said.

One form of restorative practice a student can use is community service projects within the school to give back to the community they inflicted harm upon. In response to the elevator incident, the students involved came up with a restorative plan to give back to B-CC. For one early release day, they volunteered to clean and sanitize several of the teacher’s classrooms.

Additionally, Officer Gallagher says that the students can come up with restorative justice ideas. And If a student were to ask to partake in any form of restorative justice practice, it would be noted in their disciplinary decision. “When we record disciplinary actions in our database, there is a separate section for restorative actions that the student engages in as part of the consequence,” Ms. Sutton continues, revealing that “[requesting to partake in restorative practices] doesn’t prevent suspensions, but it may be more appropriate in the situation.”

It is no secret that B-CC considers itself to be a restorative justice school -- there is a large sign in the main office that says “restorative justice” -- yet the practice is not used as often as it could be. According to Ms. Sutton, the reason for this is partly because “[the county-wide restorative justice training] is not mandatory for all administrators. A lot of the time, not everyone is trained. Not everyone is aware of all the options.”

“We are at a point in our training where we don’t have as many staff members trained as we like,” Ms. Sutton said. But, the school is working to train more administrators, teachers, and students. “We want to make sure that the implementation plan is done so that everyone is given a real solid chance. We want to make sure that the students are getting an actual trained

GRAPHIC BY YAEL CHIAPPORI

“We are at a point in our training where we don’t have as many staff members trained as we like,”

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and its impacts on the community as a whole.

Conversations were held between the creators of the list and those affected by it, as the group of female students explained candidly how the list impacted them personally.

In general, restorative justice aims to rehabilitate offenders by reconciling them with their victims and the larger community.

It is a system of criminal justice that has gained popularity across the world over the past few decades, first emerging in the 1970s and spreading across judicial systems on the local and state level. Restorative justice focuses on communication and healing overincarceration and punishment. This practice is praised for helping offenders think through the consequences of their actions in order to heal the victim’s emotional trauma.

Restorative justice has gained popularity in

OPINION

How B-CC’s Disciplinary System is Failing Some Students

BY LILLY BEHBEHANI At the beginning of each year, students are given the Montgomery County Public School Student Code of Conduct. On the first page of this handbook, MCPS’s philosophy of discipline is stated as “A continuum of instructional strategies and disciplinary responses [that] supports teaching and learning, fosters positive behaviors, and reflects a restorative discipline philosophy. Restorative practices afford students opportunities to learn from their mistakes, correct any harm that results from their behavior, and restore relationships that are disrupted by their conduct… Suspensions and expulsions are to be us only as a last resort.”

Restorative justice is a method of resolving conflicts used in both the criminal justice system and school systems to prevent recurring offenses. Restorative practices, according to the code of conduct, involve the empowerment of victims and equal demonstration of concern for victims needs within the disciplinary process, the encouraged collaboration and integration rather than the punishment and isolation of the student in the wrong, and supporting students who have harmed others while encouraging them to take responsibility for actions while understanding the extent of their harm and actively trying to fix it.

In my opinion, these examples of restorative practices are not widely practiced at B-CC. Around a month ago, a group of students broke the elevator in the F-Wing. This prevented students with disabilities and injuries from easily getting to class. However, as their punishment, the students suggested that they sanitize teacher’s classrooms to give back to the infrastructure of B-CC. This suggestion was accepted as a “restorative practice.” How can this be accepted as a “restorative practice” when nothing was done to give back to the students directly affected by the broken elevator? How were the students who had to interrupt their day

to take longer, alternate routes to get to their next class addressed? If Montgomery County defines restorative practices as the enabling of “students to examine their attitudes and behaviors in a supportive environment while working to repair harm in a way that is meaningful to those who were affected,” the students’ sanitation of teachers’ classrooms did not meet the standards of a restorative pratice.

In addition, only two out of four of the grade level administrators at B-CC have received the restorative justice training assigned by MCPS. This means that about 50% of B-CC students will most likely not have access to an administrator who is educated on how to resolve conflicts by using restorative practices rather than just arbitrary punishment, leaving the student with no education about why their actions were wrong.

We cannot pride ourselves as a restorative justice school when not all students have the opportunity to participate in restorative practices.

Of course, restorative justice will only work if all parties are willing to come to participate in coming to a peaceful resolution. But when administrators are not trained on how to correctly execute restorative practices, many students are not given the chance to truly learn the effects of their actions on other students or faculty.

Administration works hard to ensure that a student given in-school-suspension (ISS) continue to do their schoolwork from the main office. When a student is given ISS, they are expected to do their homework from their classes throughout the day. However, the reality of ISS was demonstrated this past month through images on social media platforms. Students sit idly on their phones in the main office after finishing the school work, waiting for the day to be over.

Suspensions do not create a positive school climate. In situations where the punishment is for a well-known and divisive issue among the student body, a suspension often comes

off as overbearing to many. This can create a negative sentiment towards administration and sometimes even alienate students that stepped forward in the first place about the situation.

Offering a chance for students to resolve the conflict and truly understand the implications of their actions would benefit all parties and create a more dynamic school environment, as well as instating trust between administrative staff and students.

During the discussion held between The Tattler, Administrative Assistant Rebecca Sutton, and B-CC’s Resource Police Officer John Gallagher, Ms. Sutton and Officer Gallagher suggested that students should advocate for restorative practices themselves if their administrators do not. Regardless of the punishment, meeting with administration to discuss punishment can be extremely intimidating. Students are usually not in the position to disagree with their consequence when it is coming from someone in a position of authority. If students don’t know that they can advocate for themselves, they won’t.

High school is not the criminal justice system.

Students should be learning from their mistakes and focusing on the harm from their wrongdoings, not just reprimanded through suspensions and then disregarded. All students should be advocated for and supported; there should be attempts to resolve all non-violent, non-drug or alcohol offences peacefully. Restorative practices and restorative justice are able to shift mindsets of students to prevent similar situations from occurring again. It is difficult for me to see how B-CC disciplines students based off of MCPS guidelines. If we, as a school, are unable to create a learning environment for those who have made mistakes, we are failing each other.

Around the halls, B-CC students walk by posters that boast the phrase: “We are a restorative justice school.” The irony is that history has shown that we have yet to achieve such a label of fairness and maturity in our own disciplinary system.

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COVER STORY

The Emergence of Atheism in Gen Z

BY DASIA CORNELIO AND NOAH SOLOMON “Please rise for the Kedusha on page 266.” As the people on either side of me begin to rise, I grudgingly stand up to match them. The prayer begins, the entire congregation reciting it in unison. I stand there, mouth closed, undeterred and uninterested in what’s happening around me. Places of prayer are holy spots where people ask for forgiveness, healing, or anything else one might need. However, for an increasing number of teenagers, these places of worship aren’t anything special, just a building you get dragged out to every once in a while to celebrate some holiday.

With Generation Z being the most progressive and innovative generation to date, the phrase “seeing is believing,” takes on a whole new meaning.

As science and technology keeps improving, it becomes increasingly difficult for teenagers to put absolute faith in something they can’t even see. Generation Z is moving away from organized religion, and towards atheism. 13% of Generation Z identify as atheist, compared to 6% of all adults in the U.S. For senior Mareike Nebel, it doesn’t scare her to not be a part of an organized religion. “More people now than ever are identifying as an atheist, and I am really grateful for that because I feel like I’m not forced into a religion.” A demographic shift is occurring in which Generation Z are moving away from organized religion, because an increasing amount of parents are choosing to raise their children with no religion. Therefore,

the child has the choice to practice organized religion or not.

In addition, with our generation having access to media and the internet, there is a greater access to information on all religions. However, teens often see negative sides of organized religion on media as well though, such as terrorist attacks, homophobic protests and shootings. This can deter teenagers from organized religion entirely, because what they see online can influence the way teenagers think about organized religion as

personhood. We are breaking down the rigidly constructed wall set in front of us, and going against ideas that have been preached by other generations for decades, specifically ones that deal with religion and faith. A major aspect of atheism that draws in many teens is the fact that there are no rules to it. There are no restrictions on the type of person you can be, who you can marry, and who you identify as. With the number of gay marriages increasing, all well as the increasing immersion of transgender people into society, atheism becomes increasingly appealing to younger generations, simply because there are no rules on the type of person you want to be.

Many older generations use religion as a tool for things they don’t understand or comprehend. For teenagers, however, it’s not necessary.

They find solace in things other than God. They find peace in holidays, traditions, their community and core values. For sophomore Abigail Bobeck, “In my experience, I don’t feel a connection [to God] and it doesn’t apply to me. Therefore within Judaism the thing that really connects me to it is the core values of it. The way we treat each others and the way we treat the world, are why I continue to associate myself with Judaism.” Atheism allows you to believe what you want to believe with no shame.

It allows you to figure out your life and dictate what goes with your morals. It allows you not to conform to something when you don’t believe.

Lastly, it allows you to be you.

GRAPHIC BY YAEL CHIAPPORI

“More people now than ever are identifying as an atheist, and I am really grateful for that because I feel like I’m not forced into a religion.”

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a whole.

While typically older generations are comforted by the idea of a greater force watching over them, for many teens in Generation Z, it’s the opposite. “It kinda freaks me out that someone could possibly be watching us, or worse controlling us. It makes me feel out of control and that’s one of my biggest fears,” said sophomore Margo Ogrosky.

In addition, our generation is redefining what it means to be a person, and what constitutes

OPINION

GRAPHIC BY MOLLY BUSIS

The Shortcomings of Maryland’s Gun Violence Policy

BY ETHAN TIAO Maryland is one of our nation’s gun-sense legislation beacons. With bans on assault rifles, extreme risk protection orders, and magazine capacity limitations, our state has been a premiere proponent for gun-safety. However, amidst extensive legislative plans to mitigate gun violence, our state has its fair share of gaps. In order to serve as a leading example of safety and gun-sense awareness, we need to begin by doing the following: pass legislation closing Maryland’s long gun loophole, limit the spread of 3D printed guns, add dangerous automatic weapons to the assault rifles ban, and take a more holistic approach to combating urban gun violence, especially in Baltimore.

It is currently legal for an unlicensed dealer in Maryland to sell a rifle or shotgun to another party without conducting a background check.

Without sellers being required to assess the safety, health, and law-abiding nature of their buyer, these person-to-person transfers become prime opportunities for dangerous people to acquire shotguns and rifles. Considering that long guns were used in the Aurora movie theater, Washington Navy Yard, Santa Fe High School, and Geneva County shootings, it’s unacceptable that Maryland legislators haven’t taken the steps to ensure that all buyers of these weapons are subjected to background checks. It’s imperative that these weapons are only sold to those who are fit to carry them.

Additionally, we currently have placed no

regulations on the transfer of 3D printed gun blueprints and the printing of firearms. As the age of technology continues to progress, 3D printers have become a pathway for acquiring unmarked and untraceable weapons. A 3D printer costs $2,500 - around the same amount as a common assault rifle. These untraceable, relatively inexpensive guns allow people to bypass background checks and firearm databases. In November 2019, the shooter who killed 2 students and wounded three in a Saugus, California high school used unmarked parts to assemble his firearm. We need to take a proactive approach to remove these untraceable guns from the market and regulate the accessibility of 3D printed weapons.

As many are aware, Maryland has an assault weapons ban. Unfortunately, that ban does not cover certain models of assault rifles that were specifically created to circumvent these very bans. Currently, the Anderson Manufacturing .223 caliber AM-15 and .300 caliber AM-15 are not banned in Maryland. To make matters worse, the .223 AM-15 was used in the Dayton, Ohio shooting that killed 9 people and injured 14 in 30 seconds. If gun manufacturers can simply create an assault weapon with a shorter barrel to escape regulation and oversight, it’s clear that we need to make the ban more comprehensive.

Finally, in Maryland, despite our record on gun-sense reform, we house the 5th highest homicide rate in the country. These deaths are primarily concentrated in Baltimore, our largest

urban area. Right now, Baltimore has programs like Safe Streets that work to reduce violence within high-risk communities. By creating an outreach network made up of community leaders and ex-cons, these conflict resolution workers break up preemptive violence and refer high-risk youth and adults to mental health and trauma services. Additionally, they work in hospitals and schools to perform violence intervention and set community members on a straight path. With a 56% reduction in homicides in Cherry Hills Baltimore, it is clear that programs like Safe Streets need additional funding. These programs use evidence-based solutions to target the root causes of gun violence and more communities in Baltimore desperately need access to the services Safe Streets provides.

As students, it’s up to us to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to close these loopholes and deficiencies in our system. Talk to your legislators virtually, in person, or as a collective through gun-sense organizations to further reforms. Gun violence is not a bi-partisan issue. Mass shootings and gun homicides don’t discriminate based on race, ethnicity, political affiliation, and background. It’s something that affects each and every one of us. We’ve been dubbed by the media as the mass shooting generation. It’s up to you and me to shift that narrative. It’s up to us to make our communities, and country, safer places.

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SPOKEN WORD

I am an African Child BY: NENE AWA KEITA

I am an African child Who owe her being to the high mountains of the kilimanjaro To the Great Rift Valley in Mozambique To the flowing rivers of the Nile, in East Africa To the golden Sahara Desert To the trees, the flowers, the seas, the animals And the ever-changing seasons that define the face of our native land.

Africa!

I am an African Child Not because I was born in Africa But because Africa was born into me Because my soul is at home in Africa Because my heart beats with the resonating tam tam of Africa Because Africa is my heaven and earth My ride or die I am an African child Bright, brilliant and fearless Talented enough to change the world For I am an African child I do not need your pity Nor your charity My future is not confined to charity Give me the gift of a lifetime; Give me a dream, a window of opportunity I will thrive on it I am an African child My continent is not a charity case It does not thrive on your charity It thrives on it’s Natural Beauty On its enormous mineral wealth On its rich culture On Tv you might not see the beauty of Africa But the beauty lives within each and every one of us I am an African child I am the son, daughter of the soil Rich in texture and content Full of potential for a brighter tomorrow I am an African child I can be extraordinary Call me Nelson Mandela the revolutionist Call me Cheikh Anta Diop the historian call me William Kamkwamba the Inventor Call me Winnie Mandela the activist Call me Chinua Achebe the writer Call me Léopold Sédar Senghor the poet Call me Sekou Toure or Kwame Nkrumah the pan africanists Give me an education Give me the freedom to be me And I will build you a dream and the dream will build you I am an African child We are the new generation Young kids with beautiful dreams and imagination Not afraid to be us Shining like the stars we are We are the children of Africa Making the best of us Yes! I am an African child Yes! I am proud of my roots Yes! I love my nation Africa

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OPINION

Trump’s Middle East Peace Plan

The Israeli-Palestine conflict, provoked by historical religious conflict and political motives, has immersed the West Bank and Gaza regions in terror since the early 20th century. With tensions at a new high, President Trump unveiled a “Peace Plan” to help mitigate the conflict and find common ground between the two political bodies. The plan attempts to find a realistic two-state solution that will appeal to both parties, focusing on protecting Israel’s security and adhering to the self-determination of the Palestinian people. Proponents of the plan believe that both parties benefit significantly while advocates against the plan believe that it disproportionately favors Israeli interests. Below, let’s hear two of our opinion writers discuss why they believe the Peace Plan is good or bad.

-BY ETHAN TIAO

The Deal of the Century

BY ELI GLICKMAN In late January, President Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu, unveiled Trump’s peace plan for the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. The so-called deal of the century aims to bring an end to the decades-long conflict. The plan involved a limited number of Israeli concessions, and has received staunch criticism from the left. However, it provides for an autonomous Palestinian state with a bridge connecting the Gaza Strip to the West Bank.

This plan illustrates a significant shift in the U.S. policy paradigm with regards to Israel.

The U.S. has neglected to give Israel the leeway it needs to ensure its security in the years to come. Now, that’s changing. This deal offers an arrangement that prioritizes Israeli lives and Israeli security.

The plan offers the only present solution to maintaining Israeli security. Previous plans and badgering by the international community have sought to remove Israeli settlements from the West Bank. Over 430,000 Israeli Jews now live in West Bank settlements, according to statistics from the Israeli government. Forcible relocation of these people is not only unjust, but unfeasible too.

The plan offers peace and tranquility for the Palestinians, allowing them to form their own, Israeli-recognized state that is sovereign within

its borders. But this is not the first proposal with these stipulations. Many have been rejected by Palestinian governments over the tumultuous 72 years since Israel’s founding. This is because of a fundamental truth that cannot be solved by any peace deal. Palestine will not be content until Israel no longer exists. Article 19 of the Palestinian Charter declares that the establishment of the state of Israel is “entirely illegal.” Article 22 continues that “the liberation of Palestine will destroy the Zionist and imperialist presence.”

Under the current Palestinian regime, attempts to appease them by liquidating the settlements or giving them control of parts of Jerusalem will never be enough, because they do not satisfy the fundamental desire of the Palestinian government: the end of the existence of the state of Israel.

The plan has been harshly criticized by many from America’s political left and by the Palestinian government as overly favorable to Israel. It is characterized this way because the rhetoric of the Palestinian Authority has been that the only acceptable deal would be the 1947 partition plan initially enacted in the U.N. This 1947 plan left Israel “virtually indefensible,” according to the Anti Defamation League.

Although the peace plan offered an excellent foundation for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmoud

The Deal of One-Sided Views

BY NOA LIUNGMAN Fueled by territorial disputes and religious entitlement, the Israel-Palestine conflict dates back to the early-20th century. The complex nature of the issue makes it nearly impossible to address. To some extent, this conflict can be considered as old as the religion of Islam itself.

But, whether you deem the ongoing hostilities between the two states to have begun in the 20th century, or several millennia ago, there is good reason to be skeptical of President Trump’s “Deal of the Century.”

In short, the plans demands Palestine to cede extensive parts of the West Bank to Israel while allowing Israeli settlements on occupied territory to remain. In exchange, the Palestinians will supposedly “fulfill the aspirations of selfdetermination.” The plan has been widely criticized as a one-sided, uncompromising bid in favor of the nationalistic foreign policy of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is extremely unlikely that Palestine will ever accept such a one-sided proposal. Regardless of your standpoint, a 50-page document cannot possibly hope to solve a conflict older than the president himself.

In reality, Trump’s plan resembles a blank check to Netanyahu instead of a much-needed peace proposal. Instead of resolving a deeplyrooted conflict, Trump’s “helping hand” is being used to dig Netanyahu out of a bottomless pit of scandals and accusations. Ironically, both Trump

and Netanyahu are being investigated by their respective legislative bodies for corruption. The Middle East peace proposal is nothing more than a showpiece for the leaders involved to flex their political muscles.

Finding common ground is key to any negotiation. A sincere and comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and Palestine should be filled to the brim with compromises. It is very clear that Trump has no such intentions.

His Middle East peace proposal, amongst other things, legitimizes Israeli settlements on Palestinian soil - settlements deemed illegal by the international community - and gives Israel control over large parts of the West Bank.

Additionally, it gives Israel unrestricted security control over the Gaza strip. The president of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has already announced that Trump’s plan will be rejected, stating: “1,000 times: no, no and no to the deal of the century.”

From an international perspective, Trump’s proposal defies all precedence and goes against the consensus of the international community.

The Oslo Accords, the basis for ongoing peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine, stresses the right of self-determination for the Palestinians as represented by the Palestinian Liberation Organization, recognized by the United Nations as the “representative of the Palestinian people.” Furthermore, Israeli settlements on occupied territory are recognized

Abbas, the leader of the PA said “1,000 times: no, no and no to the deal of the century.” The intolerance that permeates the PA will prevent any longevity in peace between the Israel and the Palestinians. How can there ever be peace if one side believes the other does not have a right to exist? Abbas and the PA are rank with virulent antisemitism that has prevented any meaningful understanding between the two groups.

Aside from this, the plan has been largely wellreceived in the Middle East. Both prime minister Benjamin Netenyahu and the opposition leader Benny Gantz have come out in support of the plan.

For the first time in history, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates urged the Palestinian Authority to accept the plan as a basis for new talks with the Israeli government. This signals a great success: other Middle Eastern powers have accepted that Israel has a right to exist. Bahrain and Oman have also signaled symbolic support for the landmark deal.

Trump’s plan offers a new solution for peace in Israel. It does not involve Israel making inconceivable concessions, nor does it put an undue burden on the Palestinians. This plan offers a real foundation for a normalization of relations between Israel and the Palestinian people.

as a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention - deemed illegal by the UN. Trump’s peace plan risks reversing these precedents while further eroding the Palestinian position.

At this point, it is simply impossible for Israel and Palestine to agree in this case. It is very likely that Trump and his political planners are aware that the proposal will never be accepted by the Palestinians. So, what does Trump get out of it? Aside from digging a fellow right-wing political ally like Netanyahu out of a corruption scandal, Trump is using the Middle East peace proposal to appeal to his greater voter base and distract Americans from domestic controversies surrounding his time in office. Unsurprisingly, Trump prefers impulsive action over reasonable discourse. A large part of his voter base is staunchly pro-Israel, and although the deal is unlikely to have any positive outcome for the Israelis or the Palestinians, as neither group will agree to it, it sends a message to White Evangelical Christians that Trump stands up for the Israeli state.

Whether you’re pro-Israel or pro-Palestine, the Middle East peace proposal is an outrageous move of political consolidation with only one winner: Donald Trump. Neither Israel nor Palestine is likely to see any concessions. Today, both parties are further from a solution than ever before.

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Mythbusters: Coronavirus

BY IMAN KHOSRODAD The recent outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has reached nearly 100,000 cases in 95 countries and counting. Wuhan, China is known as the place in which the illness originated from, as well as the location that the majority of people have been infected. The recent spread of Coronavirus has now killed more than 3,400 people, which is more than the number of people who were killed by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002. Mass hysteria and speculation in combination with the unknown aspects of the illness have resulted in several misconceptions that have left people in fear.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that, as of March 5th, there are three confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Montgomery County.

Despite Hogan’s declaration of a State of Emergency, MCPS schools have remained open. According to a letter sent by the school system, “State officials have shared that they do not believe [the individuals who have tested positive for Coronavirus] have come into any contact with students.”

The three infected contracted the virus while traveling overseas, and have been described to be in “good condition.”

GRAPHICS BY AVA SOLOMON

“We have been actively preparing for this situation over the last several weeks across all levels of government… I encourage all Marylanders to take this seriously and stay informed as we continue to provide updates,” said Hogan.

#1

Myth: Buying products that are known to be shipped from China will make a person sick

Truth: As scientists and researchers explore the

properties of this sickness, they believe, like any other virus, it is not able to survive on surfaces for very long. Therefore, it is improbable for a person to become sick by receiving a package that has been shipped from China. However, it is essential to note that this new Coronavirus is highly contagious and is transmitted by coming into contact with an infected person’s sneeze or cough.

#2

chance of infection; however, it transpires no guarantee.

#3

Myth:

This new Coronavirus was made on purpose to infect the public

Truth: This myth originated from the fact that

this is not the first time the Coronavirus has infected the public. The old virus was settled, and now since the new virus has spread rapidly, many believe that its resurrection was deliberate.

However, this is false. Although both the old and new viruses are related, they are not exactly the same. As with most illnesses, this virus evolved over time.

Myth: Using face masks will protect you from

#4

Truth:

people

becoming infected

It is true that professional face masks have the ability to protect health care professionals from their patient’s illnesses.

However, it is not a substantial solution for the public. Although these masks may be able to protect people from larger drops released from an infected person, they are not able to save us from the minuscule ones from getting into our system. In addition, infected people can further spread the virus as they touch things around them, which then healthy people will touch, and so on. Wearing these masks may help lessen the 22

Myth: The new Coronavirus only affects older Truth:

People with pre-existing medical conditions can be seen as more susceptible to becoming catching the virus as their immune system is most likely weaker. However, people of all ages can be infected by this new Coronavirus.

#5

Myth:

Their are specific medicines that can prevent and even treat Coronavirus

Truth:

To this date, no specific and known

medicine has been proven to treat or prevent the virus. Other myths that have stemmed from this misconception include that consuming garlic will help prevent its spread. However, although garlic is known to be a food that is healthy and contains antimicrobial properties, it does not provide any absolute protection from becoming infected. It is important to note that currently, there are no vaccines for the new Coronavirus.

Some may believe that other vaccines, such as getting a Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine, will help. However, since this virus is unique itself, it requires its own specially tailored vaccine. Although if you were to receive medical attention after becoming infected with this virus, you might obtain some sort of antibiotics to ease your symptoms, antibiotics do not work against viruses.

#6

Myth: Pets can catch and spread Coronavirus

Truth: While one dog in Hong Kong has a low

level infection of coronavirus, public health officials still say that cornavirus does not seem to spread by pets. The dog’s owner contracted coronavirus, and it is likely that the owner gave it to the dog. It is unclear whether coronavirus causes disease in dogs. The dog has demonstrated no symptoms. The CDC says that there is no need to be worried about the welfare of your pets.

NEWS

2020 is only three months old, but so much has happened politically it’s like a crash course in AP Government. Barons share their thoughts on...

President Trump’s Impeachment Trial

BY LAURA JULIA FLEISCHMANN In the fall, House Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. On December 18th, 2019, President Trump was impeached by the House on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The next step in the impeachment process was to go to the Senate -- where they would decide whether or not to remove the president from office. To convict Trump and remove him from office, the motion needs to be supported by twothirds of the Senate. On February 5th, 2020, the Senate acquitted Trump and cleared both of his impeachment charges --keeping him in office.

With the conclusion of the impeachment trial, The Tattler asked various Barons their views on

the outcome of the impeachment.

Nikki Mirala, a sophomore, said, “Trump being acquitted was definitely expected considering the majority in the Senate, but the fact that he wasn’t even censured for his actions

by Republican senators was very disappointing.

I think Trump being acquitted shows how much power he has over the Republican party and more importantly how much of a partisan issue this really was. It showed how Republican senators voted solely with their party in mind rather than staying true to their morals. Mitt Romney addressed that when defending his choice to vote against his party which I thought was honorable and showed exactly how a politician should act.”

The Tattler also talked to junior B-CC

student, RJ Akhan. He said, “I didn’t follow the impeachment as much as I should have, but it didn’t really surprise me that he wasn’t acquitted.

Finally, The Tattler talked to sophomore, Anna-Louise Cobau. She believes, “there were many flaws within this impeachment process. As well as many things that could have gone better.

However, I expected Trump to be acquitted.”

As this historic impeachment comes to a close, it is important for Barons to continue to stay updated and educated when it comes to politics. Even though not all of us are able to vote, what happens in government and politics impacts us all.

Democratic Primaries What are your thoughts on the current state of the Democratic primary?

“I’m concerned because I don’t feel like I really resonate strongly with any candidate and I want to support and vote for someone who I really believe in.” -Natalie Schwartz “I think Trump is going to win. The Democratic field is far too divided. None of the candidates could carry a general election, although Biden has a better chance.”

-Anonymous “Only Bernie has the energized movement and workingclass appeal we need.” -Oliver Patrick “This is going to be a race between Bernie and Biden and Bloomberg will end up losing.” -Aaron Lev Zimmet

“[It’s] utter chaos and divided. [I’m] losing hope in a chance to unite. [We’re] focusing on differences that will tear us apart rather than uniting under a common goal.”Anonymous “The establishment is scared Bernie will actually win.”Anonymous “I don’t agree with 90% of what he says, but I think Bernie has the best chance of winning the general.” -Kris Ter-Gabrielyan “Buttegieg should’ve stayed in the race. He was the only viable option. Joe Biden is too old and Bernie Sanders is too radical. Bloomberg is too controversial. I like Warren but she’s too idealistic.” -Anonymous

Who is your current top candidate?

“Biden: because Bernie is too far to the left and I feel Biden has a better chance of winning.” -Aaron Lev Zimmet

“I like Bernie because of 3 issues, foreign policy, health care and education.” -Kris Ter-Gabrielyan

“Biden- used to support Buttegieg but switched after he dropped out. Biden provides a uniting, moderate voice that brings us together from all backgrounds.” -Anonymous

“Considering the field, my top candidate would be Biden.” -Anonymous

“Biden because he is the only one that can get moderates in general and beat Trump.”- Nicole Vanderzon “Bernie because he actually stands for something.”Anonymous

“I think Bernie is too radical in his views to be able to win a general election. Biden is our best bet to win a general election. I liked Buttegieg and Kloubuchar, but they dropped out.” -Anonymous

QUOTES COLLECTED BY GRACE HARRINGTON

23

B-CC’s 2020 SPORTS

BY TOBY BERLINSKI

If there’s one thing the Barons Soccer Program is known for, it’s producing star athletes year after year and sending them off to the top collegiate soccer programs in the nation. The senior class of 2020 has no shortage of these student- athletes. In this edition, we highlight the many seniors in the Barons soccer program who have committed to take their talents to the next level. Commits of the senior class include Lane Lieberman, Dylan Zane, Greta Farkas, Samaya Bernardo, Bruno Nacipucha and Cooper Clendenin.

GRAPHICS BY CHARLIE KANNAPELL

Lane Lieberman

was the most recent Baron soccer player to announce their commitment to play at the next level, deciding to play the four years at The Savannah College of Art and Design, a Division III school also known as SCAD. As a four-year varsity soccer member she continuously excelled in her position at center mid, and it is no surprise she is continuing onto the next level. Lieberman’s performance at an ID camp caught the attention of the coaches at SCAD, who offered her a position on the team. Lieberman ultimately decided to accept the offer after visiting the school’s admitted students day. “I could really picture myself there,” she said. Now with high school soccer in the rear view mirror, Lieberman is excited for what her future holds after graduation.

24

Dylan Zane,

a star forward for the Barons this year has committed to Connecticut College, a Division III school. Zane first received his offer from a school in July of 2019. Following that he weighed a lot of different possibilities and came to his decision in early January. In his junior year, Zane played for the United States Development Academy, his club team, and for the B-CC varsity squad. Playing on these three teams did cause a lot of time management problems, but they presented him with opportunities to get seen by colleges. Zane worried next about “whether or not they would have a topic of interest to study and if I would make an impact.” Zane plans on finishing his senior year by keeping his grades up and staying strong for the fall season ahead.

Greta Farkas

is heading North for the next four years , after committing to play Division III soccer at Bowdoin college in Maine. Farkas received her first offer from Bowdoin in July, but it took her a few months to come to her decision as she had other schools she was deciding between.

“The recruiting process was kind of stressful but I always knew I would have a place to play.” Farkas said. Farkas has attended several ID camps and tournaments where she was able to showcase her skills to college coaches.

A strong academic program was also important to her decision. She continues to play for a competitive club soccer team and plans to work through the spring and summer. Farkas also aims to continue her strong academic standings throughout the rest of high school.

Soccer Recruits SPORTS

Samaya Bernado

recently committed to Bowdoin College, joining her fellow teammate Greta Farkas for college play. Bernado was a captain of the team for the past 2 years. She received her offer from Bowdoin after talking to the coach last November. She was enticed with the school so she visited the following week.

After the Bowdoin college coach watched her play, they agreed that Bowdoin college was an appropriate fit for the senior. Bernado notes that “it really came down to three things when deciding: the academic fit, the team, and the financial aspect”. After reviewing those three features at Bowdoin, Bernado decided that it was a perfect fit. After committing, Bernado plans on continuing her academic excellence and taking advantage of many of the time she has left at B-CC. She also plans to contribute to the B-CC Track and Field team this spring as she has for the past three years.

Bruno Nacipucha

has committed to Tiffin University, a Division II school. Nacipucha received his first offer in December of 2019, after which he took a month to ultimately come to a decision and commit.

Nacipucha noted that the process was hard and came with “a lot of obstacles to overcome.” Tiffin University has “top level facilities and soccer as well as it’s decently sized student population,” all factors that led to his commitment. As Nacipucha’s high school career comes to a close, he is focused on keeping his grades up and continuing to compete with the best in the country so that he can be beyond prepared in the fall.

Cooper Clendenin,

a three year varsity member, has committed to St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Clendenin got his first offer from the Division III school in the spring of his junior year along with a few others, and he ultimately came to the decision of St. Mary’s in the winter of this year. Clendenin said his process “was time absorbing and a lot of the time disheartening.” After struggling to find a school and gain the recognition from the coaches he wanted, he concluded that the process was demoralizing. His process resembles the college application process because it required a lot of reaching out to coaches to come watch him play and be judged. His decision was made once Clendenin was that he “realized [he] subconsciously stopped looking for coaches to email once [he] went on his official visit to St. Mary’s.” Academically, Clendenin is just focused on getting by while continuing to work to perfect his game.

25

SPORTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORA FAIRBANKS-LEE

Coach Ingalls Wins 100th Basketball Game

BY DYLAN GREENHOUSE The girls varsity season has had many great achievements this year including Caroline Orza winning Player of the Month, the team making it to the regional finals, and notably Coach Ingalls winning her 100th career game.

A bundle of colorful balloons, posters reading “congratulations,” and an array of flavorful cupcakes bombarded Coach Ryan Ingalls at the end of the game on Friday, January 24th. Not only had her team won their tenth game of the season , defeating Walter Johnson 61-51 in the process, but Coach Ingalls joined the exclusive 100-win club.

Following her impressive high school basketball career as a captain for B-CC, Ingalls

played college basketball at Lehigh University.

Ingalls returned to MCPS after graduating college to coach the JV team at Rockville for two years before being offered the varsity head coaching job at B-CC. When asked about returning to coach at her alma mater, Ingalls said “being able to play for [B-CC] and still stay involved with the sport I love at the same school that I learned to love it at,” Ingalls has led the Barons to back-to-back state semifinals appearances, but her impact on her players is more than just basketball. “Coach Ingalls has helped me a lot both on and off the court through using my communication and energy as productive as possible to lift others up around me,” said junior Zoe Wrathall.Senior

Jessica Katz had similar thoughts saying, “Ingalls has taught me the skills of a strong leader which I can continue to develop and use for the rest of my life.”

Ingalls says her plans for the future are “to coach [at B-CC] and keep developing the program.”

Boys Basketball Plagued with Injuries; Makes 2nd Round of Playoffs

BY TATE SMYTH AND ELI DAVIS The last thing any athlete wants to hear is that they can no longer participate in their sport.

However, as hard as they may be to deal with, injuries are often an unavoidable aspect of these games. In the blink of an eye, an athlete’s entire season--or even career--can be taken away from them, sometimes bringing a whole team’s success down with them. The only real option is to move forward with the same, if not even higher, level of focus. The motto is always “next man up.”

In the case of the B-CC varsity boys basketball team, this phrase has been uttered by Coaches Sean Tracy and Doug Dickens far more often than either of them would have liked. It began January 10th, in a heated game against the almost undefeated crosstown rival Montgomery Blair. Late in the first half, sophomore Beck Urofsky left the game after suffering a popliteal fibular ligament (PFL) injury to his right knee.

Although the Barons pulled out the big win, the news that Urofsky would not be returning for the rest of the season began a chain of devastating injuries for the group. That same game, senior point guard Turner Payne severely hurt his wrist 26

on a harsh fall, leaving him sidelined for multiple games.

Just a few days later, senior Joe Jepsen came down wrong on his left leg. Jepsen was an extremely important part of the Barons, serving as one of the most consistent forces for the boys on both the offensive and defensive ends. Despite the win that day, the mood in the locker room was not what it should have been. Jepsen was ruled out for the rest of the season with a major tear to his Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) in the left knee. “It’s tough to have my senior season end short,” said Jepsen, “but I’m confident that this team can still succeed.”

Next came a serious injury for senior shooting guard Curtis Chambers against the Wootton Patriots, fracturing his left ankle as he came down with a rebound. As the season continued, this trend persisted.

Players such as senior Nick Roberson and sophomore Michael Hoover dealt with nagging injuries to ankles, backs, and knees. Payne suffered a bad pulled hamstring during practice, and senior Eli Davis went out with ankle and foot issues. Davis’ season ended in a loss against

Kennedy, where he went out with a torn labrum.

Junior Tate Smyth was also ruled out for the remainder of the games with stress reactions in his shins, leaving him unable to compete. At one point, the Barons had an injury reserve roster consisting of a total of eleven players.

According to Coach Tracy, this is “by far the most injuries [he] has ever dealt with as a coach.”

While so many original varsity players have gone down, these unfortunate events have opened up opportunities for younger players coming up from junior varsity to step up. Sophomores Logan Davis and Alvin Jackson have made their impact felt, and fellow tenth grader Sal (last name) has brought much needed length to the roster.

Although the Barons struggled in the final stretch of the season, the games have served as great learning experiences for the younger players.

The arrival of the playoffs brought a spark of excitement for the boys, as they took down rival WJ in a great game. Although the team fell to Churchill in the second round, the future is bright for B-CC basketball, and the younger players are ready to step up to the challenges next season.

SPORTS

GIRLS SWIM AND DIVE WINS STATES

After finishing second place at states last year, the girls swim and dive team returned this year hungry for gold, and they did not leave disappointed. The team earned their first ever win at the Maryland 4A/3A state championships, and it was the perfect way to cap off their

undefeated season.

Coming into the state championships, the girls wanted to handle unfinished business from last year. Not only did they win the overall state championship but four individual members of the team won state titles. Juniors Samantha

Smith, Jazz Berry, Jill Berger, along with sophomore Ailey Gold defended B-CC’s 200yard medley relay state title all while breaking the school record that B-CC set the previous year.

“It was super exciting to win the state championship for the first time in school history, and I’m really glad that I got to be a part of that,” said Smith.

Allen won the state championship for the 50-yard freestyle, finishing with a time of 23.70, barely edging out second place by less than twotenths of a second. Junior Jill Berger came in first place in the 100-yard butterfly, with fellow Baron Samantha Smith right behind her. Smith additionally earned a personal state title as she went on to win the 100-yard backstroke with ease.

Several members of the team are returning next year, and Smith has high high hopes for next year. “I think that it’s one of the team goals to back-to-back and win again next year, and I think that’s definitely possible,” Smith said.

PHOTO TAKEM FROM B-CC SWIM AND DIVE TWITTER

BY STEFANO FREDERICH

WRESTLING WINS THE 4A WEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP; PLACES THIRD AT STATE DUALS the 8-time defending state champions.

To cap off the regular season, the Barons beat Walter Johnson 79-0 and Whitman 58-12 in the Battle of Bethesda. This ended the team’s regular season as undefeated for the first time in school history, cementing their legacy as the most successful team in B-CC wrestling history.

On February 12th, the Barons hosted the 4A West Region Duals. First, they beat Urbana 4236. Then, they proceeded to beat Churchill. For the second consecutive year, the Barons were the 4A West Regional Dual Champions.

The following Saturday, the Barons traveled to North Point High School in Waldorf, Maryland for the State Duals, which consists of the semifinal round and for the winners, the state championship match.

In the semifinal round, they faced Springbrook for the second year in a row. The Barons hoped to finally “finish the business” that began a year ago in the very same gym.

As the wrestlers warmed-up and the match began, tension filled the room between the de-facto rivals.

While B-CC lead in the first few matches, this

short-lived rally was not enough to overcome Springbrook, and B-CC fell with a final score of 34-30. Afterwards, Springbrook proceeded to beat Annapolis by a wide margin to win their second consecutive state championship.

Although the B-CC Wrestling may have not accomplished their goal of winning a State Championship as a team, they had an outstanding, record-breaking season that will be remembered for years to come.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN SHAPIRO

BY MAGGIE LUCAS AND GRETA FARKAS Going into the season, there was one thing on the B-CC Wrestling’s mind: Unfinished Business.

They had come off of an incredible run last year, reaching the State Duals for the first time in school history, where they fell just short to Springbrook -- the eventual 2019 Maryland 4A State Champions -- with a final score of 31-28.

After such a heartbreaking finish, the boys were committed to avenging their loss this season. After honing their skills together over the last several years, the team had the talent and the close-knit team chemistry to win a state championship. The stakes were high after the loss to Springbrook the previous season, and, as captain Jeo Martinez noted, this is the senior’s “last year with the boys so [they] want to make it one to remember.”

To begin the season, they beat Paint Branch high school 81-0 and Gaithersburg 60-18.

Next up was the long awaited rematch against Springbrook. Although wrestling is a sport that does not usually attract massive student sections, fans piled in to watch the Baron Brigade Event.

In the final match, Drew Guttentag secured the Barons’ 41-22 revenge victory against Springbrook.

A few short weeks later, the Barons found themselves winning their home tournament, The Baron Duals, which included a win over fellow top ranked Maryland team, Bullis. Around this time, seniors Jeo Martinez and Christian Simpson both secured their 100th win, an remarkable feat for a high school wrestler to achieve.

The following weekend, they beat Damascus 43-31 in a tri-meet. In doing so, they became the first Montgomery County team since 2012 to beat

27

FEATURE

Schools: An Unrealized Source of Energy service companies.”

In its 36 years as an organization, NAESCO now has 85 members. These members are not individuals, rather these memberships are made up of companies. Roughly half of these companies are actual energy service companies, and a handful of those are companies that are international firms. The other half are companies that provide services to the energy companies. Many of these members are large scale corporations as well. “[Some of these companies include] Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Engie, [and] Carrier Corporation,” said Gilligan.

One of the largest companies involved with NAESO is Ameresco, an organization that is an independent contributor of energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. These companies within NAESCO do about seven billion dollars worth of projects per year in the renewable and clean energy industry and that number is a growing amount, increasing close to ten percent each year.

“The largest market segment is schools, [which makes up for over] three billion dollars,” added Gilligan. “People don’t realize how much energy goes into school buildings and how much energy is wasted.”

Gilligan also said how schools want to switch to newer, more energy efficient equipment first, and then go to a renewable energy source. Schools with no new equipment have close to a 30% to 50% energy waste and schools with equipment energy waste should theoretically be under 10%.

It is theoretical due to a big component being how the equipment is being operated.

At a local level, both in Montgomery County Public Schools, and other schools in the area, including surrounding states, there has been a large growth of renewable energy slowly taking the place of formal energy sources. On a countrywide scale, certain counties and states have done more than others, adapting to their environment and taking advantage of the renewable energy nearby.

All and all, there has been a realization to change how we use different types of energy.

Schools undoubtedly use more energy than people are aware of, or lack the attention of detail to what goes on inside the buildings.

Progressing towards the future, there seems to be a hope in which school districts and state governments will begin to use more renewable energies in powering the key places of our education.

GRAPHIC BY MOLLY BUSIS

BY EVAN WARNER Society is no stranger to energy conservation issues. It has been a centerpiece in national discussions for years. Whether it is realized or not, energy is a key component to be able to have an education system in the United States.

The simple fact is that it takes a lot of energy to power a school. More than what people probably would think. Now think about the energy needed to power 195 schools. That is the exact amount of schools, including preschool, elementary, middle and high, in Montgomery County.

Taking into mind all of the various means that energy is used for (desktops, chromebook carts, promethean boards, cleaning equipment, vending machines, and so on) it becomes almost instantaneously obvious the amount of energy usage that schools, both local and country-wide, are responsible for. The amount of energy used in schools varies on location as well; geography and climate play a big factor. It also must be taken into account the community use of schools for after school activities, PTA meetings, and recreational uses. Both the climate and run hours of electricity that schools use are the two essential factors in establishing how much energy is being used in a given school and is a key part when installing new, energy efficient equipment.

The National Association of Energy Service Companies, commonly known as NAESCO, is an organization which promotes and represents the energy efficiency industry. Don Gilligan, the President of NAESCO, said that “the main goal [of NAESCO] is to promote the work of energy

OPINION

Should Sports Betting be Legal?

BY CONNOR SAPIN AND DREW NEALIS The legalization of sports betting has increasingly become a hot topic in the U.S. The thrill of watching and cheering on teams combined with the opportunity to win draws crowds to casinos to bet on their book. Famously known in Las Vegas, Nevada, gambling on sports events has spread to 18 states, as well as Washington, D.C. Many states are joining the trend of legalizing sports betting, due to the recent rise in popularity. However, Professional leagues firmly believe that gambling on their events is bad for their games. The late NBA Commissioner David Stern, in September of 2016, said, “Sports gambling is a national problem.”

While legalization of sports gambling is suspected to grow more popular, many states have shut down attempts to legalize betting -most notably with the Maine House of Representatives failing to override a veto by the Governor to legalize betting this February. Each state has their own views on whether or not sports betting should be legalized within their state. Some of the main advocates against sports betting are players and leagues themselves. In the United States, the legal age for gambling is 21, however across the nation, including in the B-CC community, where betting is illegal under Maryland law, underaged 28

and illegal betting is becoming more common.

Sports gambling can become dangerous once it leaks into everyday life. Gambling, in general, has been known to inflict damage on relationships, cause the loss of jobs, as well as pull participants and those around them into severe debt. Once people start gambling, it can take years to end the addiction because, if allowed, it will completely take over your life. An anonymous junior at B-CC believes that it should not be legalized because “many people are losing lots of money and have no self-control on how much they bet.” This process has gamblers fully invested in their games and are putting unneeded stress in their brains. Another B-CC junior, who admits knowing people that bet, also said, “It is very unhealthy and will lead to mental fluctuations that will drastically affect their lives.”

Betting on sporting events is a low effort way to make money and people can win hundreds at a time, with examples all over the internet of bet cards that won big cash payouts for their betters.

Some B-CC students have joined the betting scene, due to easy access through the internet, understand and have experienced both the highs and lows of gambling. An anonymous student said he “started gambling because a lot of [his] friends were [gambling] on Sundays during the

football season and [he] wanted in… and [it] wasn’t long until [he] was hooked and would make a few bets daily.” While he states that he and his friends “have experienced the lows and had to take a break in order to recover a little, gambling overall has been fun, eventful, and have brought [his] friends closer together” and he “will probably stick with betting for a long time.”

As time goes on, the dominoes will begin to fall, causing each state to fully instate sports gambling in their system. Sports gambling could become a main source of income for all of these states. This income can help build up communities and schools but all of this comes at a price for each individual that steps into the world of gambling. With all the mental health issues that come along with betting, people need to take a second to decide whether they want to enter this environment and possibly lose all of their money. But, these same people also have the opportunity to make thousands of dollars with a few clicks on their phone. It has leaked into the youth and that’s where it has become an issue. The legalization of sports betting across the U.S has its benefits but it can wind up being disastrous for those who don’t know how to quit.

STYLE

B-CC Influencers: @thebccarchives

There are many B-CC school spirit accounts on Instagram, but recently, one account in particular seems to have risen in popularity. @thebccarchives is a rather new B-CC account that features pictures from the 1980’s of past B-CC students and staff at sporting events, dances, and field trips. This is what the founder, Alex Jones, had to say.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF B-CC ARCHIVES

BY SOL DAVILA GEHRING How many followers do you have?

“As of now, I have 820 followers.”

How has your life changed due to your increased social media popularity?

“All of my friends joke about my popularity and it’s crazy how a simple idea I had just blew up.”

What is the worst part about having so much influence?

“The worst part [is] when someone says something bad about the account not knowing that I run it.”

What made you start this account?

“I found the photos online and thought they were really cool. I found them online after doing some research, and I found a lot of old photos and videos.

My friends and I like looking at how things used to be in style and fashion.

I was excited when I found all of the archives of what our school used to look like, and the activities we used to do. I enjoyed seeing how we have progressed as a school, so I thought I would share the photos.”

How has having a great following made you feel?

“It’s made me feel good, I mean I like the aspect that it’s not me that is famous, it’s more just like an account. It has made me feel really good because I can see that what I am putting effort into is being received well from comments and [Instagram Direct Message].”

Do your parents know about this account?

“I think I have mentioned it to them. They always ask why I am always on my phone and what I am doing on it. I always tell them I’m actually doing something important and that I have a post I need to get up.”

What is your favorite thing to post?

“I like looking at the style/fashion and natural candid photos to see what people were doing, and seeing what life for high schoolers was like back then.

I think my favorite thing to post is events that used to occur at B-CC that don’t anymore. They used to go to Assateague island and the whole school would go 3 times a year, and we don’t do that anymore, and there used to be a school sponsored Canada trip.”

Have you run into any issues or awkward things with posting people’s parents?

“Not necessarily awkward situations, but I have had people comment like ‘that’s mom’ or ‘peep dad.’” What has happened recently is that people who are in the photos who went to school at B-CC have been following the account, like parents, and commenting ‘OMG good times’ or direct messaging me saying ‘OMG I remember this.’ It’s parents that don’t know how to use Instagram, and their accounts have like 50 followers. But no one has ever commented like ‘take this photo down.’

What is your plan for the future of the account?

“Next year I think I will probably continue it but once I graduate I want to hand it down to a rising senior. I feel like it is a good account to pass down because there are so many photos that I have yet to share. I want the account to stay somewhat anonymous because you run into trouble if multiple people know the account password. I also do not want the person I pass the account onto to brag about it to get clout.”

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BACKPAGE

Catalogue of Irrational Fears Stankophobia: Fear of the fourth floor bathroom.

Anatidaephobia: Fear of being watched by a duck, especially in that lipless way.*

Stankoniaphobia: Fear of OutKast’s fourth studio album.

Horoscopophobia: Fear the Backpage team will put your personal issues on blast for cheap laughs.

Elevatoraphobia: Fear of being caught in an elevator when you’re not supposed to be.

Baczowskiphobia: Fear of being crucified for eating in the media center.

SocraticSeminarophobia: Fear of being called on when you didn’t do the homework.

BrokeBoiphobia: Fear of getting your wired headphones caught on the pole between the doors.

MyParentsWorkInBethesdaphobia: Fear of running into Mom and Dad at brunch while you’re skipping class.

TikTokophobia: Fear the Chinese government will use your social security number to steal your identity for their clone army and then send a gunman to your house to assassinate you.

ObviouslyaFreshmanophobia: Fear of getting hit in the face as you walk behind someone with a painstakingly large backpack.

Cultophobia: Fear the crew team will ask you to buy a raffle ticket. Or a wreath. Or candles. Or more raffle tickets.

Coronaphobia: Fear of the Coronavirus. Or that they’ll be out of ice cold brews at the next frat move. *This is a real fear. Don’t make fun.

IB Program Releases Initial Response to COVID-19

BY LILLY BEHBEHANI, CHARLIE KANNAPELL AND EMMA VOLKERS

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As the outbreak of COVID-19 (CoronaVirus) continues to spread, the International Baccalaureate program, which is present in 156 countries, is faced with a new challenge regarding their rigid exam and coursework process. In the past, IB exams have occured universally in an effort to reduce risk of academic dishonesty, however international school closures have posed risk to these scheduled dates. So far, extensions for IB projects such as the Internal Assessment and CAS service hours have been given to select countries displaying significant closures. This being said, as of February 27, 2020, the IB claims that it does not plan to move nor postpone its official exam dates in May, releasing a nine page plan stating, “The IB examination schedule is a global schedule and therefore it would be unreasonable to change it for students who are not affected.” Further updates to these procedures will be covered in the following edition of The Tattler.

(Coronavirus) Outbreak FAQs”) Actual Question: “What options are available for exams if our school is closed?”

Q & A with an IB official and B-CC IB Seniors (All actual questions and official responses were taken from the official IB “COVID-19

Official Response: “If your school is closed, please contact your coordinator or head of school.”

Official IB Response: “Transfer to another IB world school or go to an alternative venue.”

B-CC senior response: Cancun High, here I come!

Actual Question: “We were due to host an event/award ceremony, should this go ahead?

Official Response: “Schools should follow local guidelines and travel restrictions when making decisions about school events.”

B-CC senior response: Who has the open?

Actual Question: “My school is closed due to COVID-19.-what do I do?”

B-CC Senior Response: Ms. Dean can do most things, but curing CoronaVirus is not one of them.

Actual Question: “What happens if the courier company will not deliver examination papers to my school?”

Official Response: “The IB is currently investigating the best practice. We have a standard approach of allowing schools to receive one-off papers through digital delivery and are investigating the implications for schools of implementing this on a larger scale.

B-CC Senior Response: My older brother drives for UberEats, he can get them here if you have a minimum $20 purchase from CAVA.

GRAPHICS BY MOLLY BUSIS

BY JULIANA BLANEY, JACKSON HERMES, AND KARINA VASUDEVA

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BY YAEL CHIAPPORI

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