Issue 05 2022 by The Tower

Tower THE

ISSUE 05 – MMXXII

In This Issue Senior Hobbies 08

View-Only Zoom 12 Water Polo 16 Olympics 22

Details

PHILOSOPHY The Tower is a student-run publication at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA. Writers and editors work together under the guidance of a faculty advisor to enhance the Bishop’s community and stimulate meaningful conversation through the collection and distribution of news. The Tower aims to educate the Bishop’s community about issues and events that pertain to the experience of young adults. Sections of The Tower include Campus, Arts, Sports, Culture, Local & Beyond, Opinion, and The Bell. The Tower prints multiple issues each academic year, in addition to continuous online content. POLICY The Tower refrains from prior review of its issues, and maintains the right to publish anonymous quotes when the privacy of the individual is a concern. All quotes are subject to editing for clarity and length. Opinions expressed in The Tower do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or of the Bishop’s School. COLOPHON The Tower is printed by Streeter Printing Company in Mira Mesa, CA. The Staff uses Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator to arrange photographs and graphics, and distributed 300 copies of Issue 05 to the Bishop’s community. Typefaces include Saonara for the cover; Public Sans for the headlines, bylines, and subtitles; Minion Pro for the body text. Issue 05 and previous issues of The Tower are available digitally on issuu.com. THE BELL The Bell is a section of The Tower that intends to serve as a relief from the depth of the magazine. Satire, puzzles, quizzes, and the like are frequent inside The Bell.

DETAILS | ISSUE 05

CONTRIBUTORS Editors-in-Chief Sariah Hossain Clare Malhotra

Graphics Editor-in-Chief Kyle Berlage Copy Editors Crystal Li Tate Vaccaro Staff Writers Mihir Bhagatwala Isadora Blatt Sydney Chan Leila Feldman Bella Gallus Lily Gover Summer Hu Lucy Marek Spencer Ralph Graham Walker Kayden Wang Joyce Wu Shirley Xu

Cover by Kyle Berlage (‘22)

Recent events have shaken the Bishop’s community after two ropes were found on-campus tied in a manner reminiscent of a noose. Questions have been raised about potential motivations and the history of the noose as a symbol of both suicide and lynching. In light of such events, the Editorial Board of The Tower explores a possible lack of education leading to a pattern of racially-charged incidents on-campus.

Social Media Follow us!

Faculty Advisor Ms. Laine Remignanti

Instagram: @thebishopstower CONTACT The Tower c/o The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037 www.thebishopstower.com thetower@bishops.com IG @thebishopstower TW @thebishopstower

Website:

www.thebishopstower.com

Twitter: @thebishopstower All members of the Bishop’s community are invited to submit letters to the Editors-in-Chief by visiting our website, www.thebishopstower.com, and clicking on the ‘Submit Letter’ tab.

Dear Bishop’s community, We write this letter together, representing the Tower editorial team and staff. As Editors-in-Chief of our school publication, our instincts told us this cover story would be an incredibly important one. We hope you’ll read our editorial article on pages 24-25, a result of the thinking, discussing, and researching we’ve done as a staff since the nooses were found on campus. On January 25, after the all school assembly in the gym, the Tower staff gathered in Bentham during period three. It was an unusual class for us—no writing, editing, or pitching—as we sat around the Harkness table to discuss our thoughts and emotions about the noose incident. Reflecting on our mission and responsibility to the community, we knew we didn’t want to release Issue 05 of The Tower without coverage on this community-shaking event. However, the facts of the matter were, and still are, fairly up in the air. This issue will be sent to print on February 16, and you may not be reading it for another week, so the story might have evolved by then. We wanted to give space to those on campus most affected by the incident, but part of our code of ethics is not to push, but we pursued a story nonetheless. We thought about our responsibilities and our mission: to seek the truth and report it, “to stimulate meaningful conversation.” We listened to our classmates, administrators, and teachers at the town hall meeting, in advisory, and around campus. We recognized that not everyone was ready to speak on a public record, immediately; if we haven’t talked to you yet, and you’re ready to speak, we want to hear from you. In the process of this reporting, we’ve spoken to numerous administrators and teachers, some of whom wished to remain anonymous or would only confirm information that we had already discovered from another source. From those conversations, it remains unclear how much the students involved knew about the history of hanging in anti-Black violence. What this incident brought to light is lack of education and understanding. According to some Tower staff writers, during their advisory discussions, they had learned that a number of students had never heard of lynching, had never learned about the symbolism of a noose outside of the context of suicide. To us, that was a critical finding, and one that prompted our pursuit of the question: when do Bishop’s students really learn about the history of anti-Black hate in this country, and is it early enough? For now, we hope our work in this issue can continue the necessary conversations our school community has been having. As always, thank you for reading and engaging. The Tower could not be The Tower without you: our sources, our readership, and our community.

Sincerely,

Sariah Hossain Editor-in-Chief

Clare Malhotra Editor-in-Chief

THE

Tower

CAMPUS

06 Music with a Purpose 08 Senioritis Who? 10 Bring on the Blankets 12 On Mute 14 More About Moores

Clare Malhotra

Melodies for Remedies performs for isolated seniors and patients Tate Vaccaro

A look into how seniors are spending their free time Shirley Xu

As temperatures drop, students wrap up to stay warm Summer Hu

What’s up with view-only Zoom?

Isadora Blatt

Get to know the 8th-grade published author Allison Moores

SPORTS

Making a Splash

Leila Feldman

A look behind Girls’ Water Polo sucesses

CULTURE

(The Music) Industry Baby

Why artists are selling the rights to their music

Lily Gover

PC: Kyle Berlage (‘22)

LOCAL & BEYOND

Brick and Bell

Spencer Ralph

Your favorite friendly neighborhood coffee shop

OPINION

From Moscow to Beijing

Sydney Chan

Should the government have the right to boycott the Olympics?

COVER STORY

24 Beyond The Textbook

Editorial Board

We need to learn about the history of racism earlier

THE BELL

26 No One Asked, Kyle 27 Top Ten Kanye Posts

Kyle Berlage

CONTENTS

music with a Melodies for Remedies performs for isolated seniors and patients Clare Malhotra

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

n March of 2020, pizzerias closed and Bishop’s students flocked onto Zoom. We found ourselves in a state of limbo: unaware when case numbers would begin falling. But while many of us were able to leave our houses for socially-distanced gatherings or eventual hybrid school, some people—high risk individuals like seniors or the ill—remained isolated, often lonely. To help relieve some of these struggles, Grace Sun (‘23) created a club: Melodies for Remedies. Grace formed the nonprofit with the aim of connecting hospitals and senior homes with music and performing arts. The organization holds online monthly concerts, during which an array of musicians, dancers, and singers will perform. Accompanying songs range from classical to popular to holiday-themed, and have been performed both in solos and in groups. “Everyone was isolated, especially those living in senior homes, hospitals, and family care centers,” Grace explained. “I thought that amidst our isolation, I could take action to possibly continue to maintain relationships, albeit virtual, with those around us.” Studies have shown that quarantine and the resulting feelings of loneliness increased the risk of dementia nearly 50% in seniors. “Their family members and friends could not visit

CAMPUS | ISSUE 05

them, and I felt pity when I saw their vulnerability, including [that of] my grandparents,” Grace said. She hoped to improve the mental health of these adults while staying physically safe through social distancing. Melodies for Remedies has also served as a way for Bishop’s students to reconnect with music. Senior Paul Madany, Vice President of the club, said that he “hadn’t played piano for two years.” However, his love for piano was rekindled at the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, when one of his friends inspired him to start playing again. “I learned piece after piece that I had always wanted to play, and Melodies for Remedies gave me a chance to share them.” He explained that volunteering for the club has been a rewarding experience. “I had the opportunity to have a positive impact during COVID, while also having the incentive to sophisticate my piano playing for concerts,” he said. Grace said that her love of music was also a part of her excitement about creating the club. “During the COVID-19 lockdown… all of my recitals and performances were canceled,” she said. “Without a stage, I felt lost as well as my peer musicians… [music is] a place to vent my feelings and… a great way to soothe others.” More recently, the club has

— Melodies for Remedies

started offering in-person and hybrid performances to make the concerts a little more engaging for the audience. “You connect more with the people watching and get to meet them sometimes,” Novalyne Petreikis (‘23), who plays the cello and participated avidly in the club throughout the pandemic, explained. Grace Sun also said she enjoyed the in-person format. “Hearing the applause [and] seeing the joy on the seniors’ faces… [helped] us truly appreciate the chance we got to perform,” she said. Seniors and other viewers have expressed their gratitude for Melodies for Remedies and the joy that the music and performances provide. Grace recalled that one resident of Chateau La Jolla, a senior home tuned in to online concerts, wrote to them, “I’m circulating the link, what lovely music!!! I even sent it to my family!!” “All the elderly are so sweet and they’re always super appreciative and in awe,” Novalyne said. Bhadra Rupesh (‘24), who is the club’s website manager and has experience with piano, violin, and Indian and western singing, also commented on the audience interaction. “The most heartwarming moments are when some of the people in the audience recognize a song and start singing along,” she said. Melodies for Remedies boasts

PURPOSE an active presence on Instagram while maintaining a YouTube channel, onto which they upload recordings of some of their performances. As Bishop’s returned to on-campus classes and activities, the club was able to perform in other ways around campus. For example, they partnered with the Global Education Initiative parent group’s international potluck dinner. “When we celebrate cultures, two fundamental aspects to all people are food and the arts,” Grace explained. “By uniting others under these common aspects of every culture that

we celebrate, we could increase appreciation for both international cultural awareness as well as recognizing our performing arts students.” Melodies for Remedies has expanded to performing for hospitals and senior homes in Virginia and Hawaii. “Some of the extended friends and family of one of the senior home directors asked to view our concerts,” Grace explained when asked why she chose those states in particular. “I certainly did not want to limit the healing power of music to only San Diego and California residents.”

The club has continued to thrive during lulls in the pandemic and hope to continue with outreach. “We currently have student [volunteers] from over 6 states in the US,” Grace said. “We hope that we can increase the number of performers living in other countries.” She also explained that they’d like to partner with similar organizations and increase fundraising efforts. “All in all, we hope that this cause reaches as many people as possible.”

Photo courtesy of @melodies.for.remedies on Instagram

“[Music is] a place to vent my feelings and… a great way to soothe others, Melodies for Remedies founder, Grace Sun (‘23) explained. The club has performed online and in-person with volunteers like Joseph Aguilar (‘22) throughout the pandemic.

THE

Tower

fun since I wasn’t [as] worried about academics,” she explained. “Then, when I got to freshman year, I realized I had basically no free time to devote to… playing basketball since I was spending so much time studying. It wasn’t until this year that I finally decided to join the basketball team because I knew that if I didn’t, I would have regretted it later on.” The decision to join the team this year has impacted Charlie more positively than she ever could have imagined. “Even though I’m not very good at basketball, I have a great time and am able to spend my free time being active with some of my best friends,” she said. Although Senior Seiji Ayala-Sekiguchi has never held a lacrosse stick in his life, that has not deterred him from signing up for this year’s season. “I realized that as a senior, this is really the last time I’ll be able to try a sport with all of my friends,” he said. Coming from the water-polo team, Seiji isn’t exactly acquainted with land sports. While the prospect of excessive running is surely daunting, he is excited nonetheless. “Although learning a sport I’ve never played before is going to be a challenge, my only goal is to have fun and make good memories with my teammates.” More musically-oriented folks, such as Seniors Karina Kadia and Andrea Rix, have taken a renewed interest in playing instruments. “I started playing piano when I was around six and played until high school,” Karina said. “But then I got too busy so I stopped for the past three years. When I turned in all my college apps, I decided to start up lessons again. Right now, I’m learning ‘La Valse d’Amélie,’ a French waltz from the Amelie

film, and ‘L’Orage’ by Burgmuller, which is a more technical piece.” After taking a break from the piano for so long, Karina was shocked at how quickly her muscle memory kicked in. “It’s pretty crazy how fast it’s all coming back to me,” she explained. “It’s also super relaxing for me as a hobby to de-stress after a busy day at school, even if I just play for ten minutes.” Unlike Karina, Andrea has decided to learn an entirely new instrument—the double bass. “I really love jazz music and I’ve been listening to it for a long time,” she began. “Whenever I would hear a bass solo, I’d think, ‘this instrument sounds so funny.’ It’s so low that you can’t even hear the notes. Having so much free time at the beginning of winter break, I really took a moment to stop and think about what I wanted to do, and it was jazz.” Learning how to play the bass has been a real aspiration of Andrea’s given her passion for the instrument and all of its unique qualities. “The bass is the unsung hero of the jazz band and of all modern music in general,” she said. “The bass line is all I listen for in a song, I don’t care what else is happening. One of the other reasons why I like the bass is because it’s just so ridiculously large.” So large that whenever Andrea transports her bass, her seven-seat SUV becomes a two-seater. “Since I can’t read bass clef yet, I’ll listen to one of my favorite songs, hear a bass line, and then start playing it by ear.” If you’re a frequent podcast listener and happen to have an interest in news, politics, or culture, Senior Mariana Pecora is your new best friend. While she has dabbled in a variety of podcast genres over the years, her true calling is politics.

PC: Andrea Rix (‘22), Charlie Johnson (‘22), Tate Vaccaro (‘22)

econd semester has arrived and, for seniors, it feels as if a dragged-out storm is finally starting to subside. Now that the tumultuous period of stress, anguish, and despair that characterized college application season has come to an end, seniors are now grappling with a new issue—how to spend their newfound free time. For many, the noun “free time” possessed little meaning prior to the start of the second semester. Between keeping up with rigorous academics, participating in time-consuming extracurriculars, and writing college applications—which, quite frankly, is an extracurricular activity in itself—free time hasn’t exactly been abundant for seniors. Now, as Taylor Swift has famously put it, everything has changed. From trying out for new sports teams to re-greasing the strings of forgotten instruments, seniors are finally starting to have just a little bit more fun this year. Less time on college applications means more free time and more joy. Charlie Johnson (‘22), for example, has picked up an old sport. “I played basketball in middle school and I had so much

With college applications over and done with, Andrea Rix (‘22) has discovered a new passion: playing the double bass.

SENIORITIS A look into how seniors are spending their free time

CAMPUS | ISSUE 05

Tate Vaccaro

Having so much free time at the beginning of winter break, I really took a moment to stop and think about what I wanted to do,

and it was jazz.

who?

— Andrea Rix (‘22)

It’s the final stretch for Charlie Johnson (‘22) and Lucius Brown (‘22), who have both taken up sports in their new free time. Chess is a sport, right? “I originally fell in love with podcasts when I listened to a comedy about Gilmore Girls called ‘Gilmore Guys,’” she explained. “Later, I found a couple of true crime podcasts that I enjoyed, but funnily enough, most of the podcasts that I listen to now don’t fall in those categories. Politics is another hobby of mine, as well as the career I aspire to, so a lot of my podcasts are about news and politics.” In particular, “Pod Save America” hosted by Jon Favreau, Daniel Pfeiffer, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietorpiques has her hooked right now. “The Tuesday episode of ‘Pod Save America’ might be the highlight of my week. Former Obama staffers started this podcast and a media company together to have intellectually honest conversations about politics that, in their words, ‘aims to inform, entertain, and inspire action,’” she said.

“This podcast inspired me to become more politically active. Now that I have more free time, I like to go on walks and listen to it.” Commonly spotted deciphering his next chess move in the senior rec room, Lucius Brown (‘22) has re-discovered his childhood sport this semester. “I’ve really known how to play chess most of my life from my dad, who loves the game a lot,” he said. “At his highest point, he was rated an expert, one level below master in chess. When we returned back to school, a lot of people in the rec room started playing chess, and I started playing again and really loved it.” Although Lucius’s demanding swimming schedule hasn’t wavered, he still practices chess whenever he can. “Now in second-semester senior year, I feel like I have much more time to follow a pas-

sion like this, and during weekends I go over different openings and games with my dad, learning a lot every time,” he continued. “Right now, my dad has only taught me two or three of the hundreds of openings in chess, and I still don’t know much about the middle game and end game, so I feel like I’m still closer to the beginning stages of learning how to play well.” For seniors who have found themselves wondering how to fill the time, hopefully you can draw some inspiration from your fellow peers. The remaining months are going to fly by, so let us all devote some time to do the things that we’ve caught ourselves wishing we could always do.

THE

Tower

bring on the

B L A N K E T S

here are many tell-tale signs that a cold day is coming at Bishop’s. Some students sport tights underneath their skirts. Others change from khaki shorts to full-length uniform pants. However, still others turn towards fuzzy and festive blankets to resist the cold. A winter fashion statement, a concession to cozy comfort, or a buffer from quarantine couch days– why are students, teachers, and faculty bringing on the blankets? Some students began wearing blankets in hopes of combatting lower temperatures before or after school hours. Brynne Faltinsky’s (‘22) first experiences bringing a blanket, for example, arose when her sister would drive to school early in the morning in order to study before the day started. “It was always way too early and way too cold,” Brynne said. “I would

Despite San Diego’s typically balmy, warm weather, many blanket wearers at Bishop’s consider the coldness as a leading reason for their blanket bringing. Laurel Daly (‘23) started bringing her blanket in November and December of this year. “I’d seen people do it for years. I don’t know why it took me so long to finally bring one,” she commented. Laurel distinctly remembered being inspired by Eve Paris (‘23), who had brought a Bob Ross print blanket the prior year. “I think subconsciously I was trying to channel her,” Laurel laughed. As Juliette Levy (‘22) put it, “Overall, I think [blankets] make my mood better, because there’s nothing I hate more than being cold. It makes me unfocused. The learning environment is way better when there are blankets. It fills you with warmth and fuzziness, and all of a sudden,

wrap it around your waist—it’s really easy to carry around.” Students are not the only ones bearing blankets, however. Zenzele initially borrowed a blanket that Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Mr. David Thompson brought in to keep warm. Relying on only a space heater, the blanket served Mr. Thompson well during meetings on the couch, or during impromptu beach trips. He recalled the blanket disappearing one day. “I remember not being mad about it,” Mr. Thompson reflected. “Someone– some senior, most likely, with too much going on in their world at the moment to be anything but absent-minded– was probably just cold and meant to return it.” After moving into his current office, he bought two more blankets from the Bishop’s bookstore– one for his home and one for his of-

Once you go blanket, you never go back. — Angie Robles (‘22) always cuddle up with a blanket in the corner of upstairs Bentham.” Brynne considers herself to be very “cozy,” with plenty of blankets in her room. “Bringing one to school seemed like not that big of a deal to me,” she said. “I think of it like, if you don’t want to get out of bed, you can bring your bed to school.” On the other hand, Angie Robles (‘22) brought blankets to school to keep warm in the later hours, as she often had to stay into the night for sports practices. Juliette Levy (‘22), a senior that has just recently begun to bring blankets, recalled always being cold, which is a part of why she has joined the blanket community.

CAMPUS | ISSUE 05

learning isn’t so bad.” Both Angie and Zenzele Greene (‘22) agree that blankets are most commonly worn by certain demographics of people, such as students that wear skirts. “I’d rather bring the blanket and wear the regular uniform skirt than wear tights underneath my skirt. Only a certain number of people can pull that look off,” Angie joked, “and I’m not one of them.” Zenzele also factored in the convenience of blankets. “Not everyone wants to wear tights, like Angie said. I find them uncomfortable, personally,” they added on. “Having the blanket—you can just walk around with it,

fice. “Students would use it when they laid on the beanbags or napped, but the blanket stayed. During the cold months, the blanket started to disappear during the day, and came back in the afternoon,” Mr. Thompson remembered, “so I bought another because it seemed like a need.” Mathematics teacher Ms. Jessi Chrystal, who started bringing in blankets around 2016, also runs a small system of blanket-borrowing for students. Initially starting with a few blankets, Ms. Chrystal has now expanded to a whopping 14 blankets. Since then, Ms. Chrystal’s blankets have become more popular, too. “At first

PC: Zenzele Greene (‘22)

Shirley Xu

As temperatures drop, students wrap up to stay warm

Blanket enthusiast Zenzele Greene (‘22) enjoys unwinding in the Senior Rec Room with their Bishop’s Bookstore blanket. Zenzele can be found napping around campus and often “completes the look” with hand warmers that they keep in their car.

I would use my blankets at sports games after school if it was a cold day,” she described. Students and former advisees would occasionally use them during the school day, if it was especially chilly. These days, Ms. Chrystal encourages students to grab a blanket off her bookshelf at the start of class if they want one. Equipped with a blanket, her students “can be comfortable and focus on their school work instead of thinking about how cold they are.” Both Zenzele and Juliette predict that blankets will stay in season yearround. Even when it is not cold, blankets are still useful, according to Juliette who

feels cold no matter what month it is. “It’s not about warmth, it’s more about comfiness,” she said. For many, bringing blankets on campus has been a lifestyle choice. As early as 8th grade, Zenzele was used to bringing blankets to various locations around school, and has been using them since. “I take a lot of naps all around campus: in the office, now in the senior rec room. Basically, you could find me napping with one of those blankets anywhere. One day I forgot my blanket that I brought from home, so I went to the bookstore to grab one and I’ve been using it ever since,” they said.

Although on the pricier side, the blankets from the Bishop’s bookstore are “really good quality,” according to Juliette. “They don’t fall apart, but a blanket doesn’t need to be [$58],” shesaid. Angie, Juliette, and Zenzele all encourage students to join the lifestyle, recommending that students look around for a fluffy blanket at home, or get one from the bookstore if there are no other options. Whether settling in for a nap, or keeping the cold out, the three seniors believe blankets can be used by anyone. Angie said, “Once you go blanket, you never go back.”

THE

Tower

ON M TE T

o Zoom or not to Zoom? That is the question that is floating in the minds of students in isolation or who have fallen ill with COVID-19. On Sunday, January 9, Knights News released a statement notifying the Bishop’s community that quarantined students could view class online instead of missing out on the lessons when absent. “It will be possible for isolating or quarantining students who feel well enough to observe classes via Zoom if it’s appropriate for that day’s lesson,” they said. At Bishop’s, students and teachers are having a mix of reactions, revealing the benefits and the drawbacks that the community is experiencing.

dents were still well enough to attend class, but on Zoom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last updated its quarantine guidelines on January 27, 2022, advising that people who were either in contact with COVID or contracted the sickness should watch for symptoms of COVID-19 and “stay home and away from other people for at least 5 days (day 0 through day 5) after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.” Ms. Shea and the administration detailed the purpose of view-only Zoom as a temporary solution to relieve anxiety for students at home while prioritizing the students who were in-person,

What’s up with view-only Zoom? Summer Hu

Bishop’s Daily Bulletin, on Thursday, January 20, released another statement regarding absences when students are online. “If you are absent from school because you are following COVID protocols, you will be marked absent but we will make a note in our system and distinguish those absences from other types of absences,” they said. Students do not lose credit for missed work during their absence if they make it up after they return and communicate with their teachers. However, under the “Attendance Summary” tab on Blackbaud, the absence is still counted. Although she thinks view-only zoom is a great solution to those who are

I’m really grateful that Bishop’s has given its students the opportunity to continue learning from home when obstacles prevent them from attending in-person school. — Reagan Kliber (‘24)

CAMPUS | ISSUE 05

with the assumption that students online would not be out for a very long time. Science teacher Dr. Anthony Pelletier approves of view-only Zoom, saying, “For those at home, it might not be as good as hybrid [classes], but [view-only] serves the purpose of making in-person classes as close to normal as possible.”

at home, Ashley Sottosanti (‘22) feels that being on Zoom due to COVID protocols and to keep others safe is not the same as an absence. “Overall, I was experiencing the same things and completing the same work as everyone who was in-person, so why does that not equate to me being present? Being on Zoom is definitely way PC: Summer Hu (‘25)

“Over the winter break,” Dean of Students Ms. Michelle Shea stated, “[The administrators] were pretty clear that we would probably have a high number of absences—of employees and of students—for a brief time.” She went on to explain that the administration realized that the spread of the Omicron variant was different in a way that stu-

closer to being present than it is to being absent, so while I understand that some distinction should be made, I do not think considering people absent is the right one,” she said. However, it is important to keep in mind that the amount of participation a student has in a class depends on the subject. For classes like math and science that require all students, regardless of setting to listen in on lectures, their participation is not altered as much. In contrast, classes that are more discussion and collaborative-based, make it much harder to count the viewing students as participants in class discussions. Oliver Morrison (‘25) felt that it was easier to follow along with the lecture classes because the teacher usually had slides or a PowerPoint that he just needed to pay attention to. However, he said, “with classes like English and history it was much harder [to participate].” Besides the controversial actions taken towards people who are “absent,” some students at home praised the change. Reagan Kliber (‘24) said, “I’m really grateful that Bishop’s has given its students the opportunity to continue learning from home when obstacles prevent them from attending in-person school.” But why was view-only Zoom used instead of the hybrid learning system from last year where students could be active participants in the class? From a teacher’s point-of-view, “hybrid classes were extremely difficult,” Dr. Pelletier explained. “The mixture of some present [students] and some remote all trying to interact was very difficult. The consensus was that in-person learning suffered during hybrid classes,” he said.

Because of this issue, the administration wanted to keep instruction in-person as much as possible, opting not to complicate the classroom environment with the additional pressures of connecting the two settings. However, from a student’s perspective, Reagan preferred last year’s hybrid learning to this year’s view-only option. “[Hybrid learning] offered me enough time to see my friends and develop new relationships with others, while also giving me some much needed time for silent study, in which I learned how to be disciplined in getting my work done rather than getting distracted,” she said. Reagan revealed her personal feelings on view-only zoom. “I haven’t found it at all difficult to speak or participate in view-only classes. My teachers have all been tremendously helpful in making sure that I’m included in class activities,” she said. In addition, Reagan found view-only classes as not only a helpful way to stay in tune with the latest lessons but a great way to give ill students time to rest and get better. Agreeing with Reagan, Ashley said, “[My] teachers didn’t treat me any differently beyond the fact that I interacted with them less because they were in a different room physically.” Reagan and Ashley’s experiences on view-only Zoom demonstrate the inconsistencies that came with the system. Some teachers may follow the guidelines set by the administration and others find it difficult to not interact with their students, so the system is not ‘view-only’ for some cases. This affects the learning environment on Zoom and varies the different responses to the change.

Despite Reagan and Ashley’s generally positive experiences, Ella Willingham (‘25), who also went on view-only Zoom proved that student experiences may differ. “It is a great way to help kids that will be out for a few days with COVID because you don’t miss a lot of class and don’t get behind [in your classes],” she stated. However, she also said that in the long-term, it was not ideal because the lessons are overall hard to understand and learn online. The temporary nature of view-only zoom is apparent as Ella went on to state that she felt her learning was, in fact, affected. “[While] online you cannot ask as many questions when you don’t understand [the material],” she said. Although view-only zoom may seem like a compromised learning experience to students online, it is a way for students at home to feel comfortable with class material when they return while putting on-campus learning first.

In classrooms across Bishop’s, accommodations are now necessary for students on Zoom. In Ms. Rachel Ching’s Physics class, lectures are now given to a screen so students on Zoom are able to hear.

THE

Tower

MORE ABOUT MOORES “T his is a little weird, but I do indoor skydiving as a sport,” said Allison Moores (‘26) when asked about her hobbies outside of school. With Allison, you never know what else you might discover, whether it be her dystopian novel, her impressive range of academic interests, or the 11 chickens that her family owns. Allison’s book, Murderer’s Blade, will be released as an e-book in March, and the paperback arrives in June – making her one of the youngest published authors ever. For a more in-depth interview centered around Allison’s book, see the News tab on the Bishop’s website. Allison came to Bishop’s in 7th grade–the unfortunate year of 2020. After starting at a new school on Zoom, she now has a much deeper appreciation for being on campus. “It was definitely harder to make friends while adjusting with COVID,” she said. However, the first lockdown did not deter her motivation to pursue her interests, whether old or new. “Since I was a little bored at the beginning of the pandemic, I actually got into painting and drawing digitally,” she said. For Allison, digital art involved finding a reference photo, measuring out where the facial features go, doing the line art, and then adding color. Now, she enjoys working with a variety of mediums, and art appears to be a major aspect of her life. “I love drawing, painting, sketching, everything that comes with that,” she said. Allison’s half-siblings live out of town, but that doesn’t mean life at home is boring. “I have a lot of pets,” she

CAMPUS | ISSUE 05

said, laughing. She has four dogs, three of them being standard poodles and one of them a little Yorkie named Mango. “I had a hamster, but he recently died,” added Allison. “He lived, like, three times his lifetime though, so it’s okay. And I have 11 chickens,” she added, naturally. When she’s not writing, drawing, or tending to her various pets, a more unique hobby of Allison’s is indoor skydiving. The first time she went was with a group of friends, and she remembers thinking that it was a lot of fun. “So I went back,” she said. “I gradually got more and more into it to the point where I started doing competitions.” She practices indoor skydiving regularly now: once or twice every week for 30-minute sessions. Of course, Allison also loves to read in her spare time. However, she prefers re-reading old books rather than starting new ones. “I like the comfort of knowing what happens,” she smiled. Her favorite series of books to reread is the Red Queen series. Her eyes lit up as she explained, “It’s about a world that’s separated between two different colors of blood, the silverblood and the redbloods,” gesturing with her hands. “The reds are taking over and controlling the world – it’s a really good story.” Seeing that reading and writ-

Get to know the 8th-grade published author Allison Moores

Isadora Blatt

ing are such avid passions for Allison, one would quickly predict her favorite subject in school. After considering the question, she responded, “I love all subjects, actually.” She is deeply interested in science, specifically epidemiology. “I really like studying the science of diseases, as well as microbiology,” she said. This interest of hers goes hand in hand with math, which she enjoys as well. At Bishop’s, Allison is a year ahead in math class. And of course, she has always loved English class. “I used to meet with this one teacher and we would write poetry during lunch,” she recalled. “It was so fun.” Allison has had many inspiring teachers over the years, but she is the most inspired by her mom, who is from Ukraine. “Despite being extremely poor growing up, and going through the cold war with Russia and everything, she still managed to get her Visa, come to America, and start up her new life,” she said with an air of admiration. With so many fields of study to choose from, Allison finds herself changing her mind at times. “If you asked me a month ago what I wanted to be, I probably would have said I wanted to go into epidemiology,” she reflected. “But now, I’m sort of unsure. I’m still planning to continue in that field, just not necessarily for the big future.”

“All of my life, I’ve been pretty much an open book.” – Allison Moores (‘26)

PC: Allison Moores (‘26)

Despite having a range of academic talents, Allison still finds time in her schedule for unique hobbies such as competitive indoor skydiving.

“I listen to a lot of different types of music,” she said. “One day I’ll think, you know what? I’m only going to listen to this type of music, and another day I’ll think, no, I’m only going to listen to this.” This reflection proved to be parallel with Allison’s extracurricular life – with so many impressive talents, she has a variety of options to choose from. “Allison has accomplished so many things even though she’s barely thirteen,” said Allison’s close friend, Kayla Pfefferman (‘26). “She’s such an overall amazing person and I think it’s super cool that she was able to write a book by herself. I can’t wait for her book to be released in bookstores!”

THE

Tower

Making A Splash O

n January 6 2022, @Bishops_Athletics posted on Instagram that girls water polo was “seeking its 11th section title in 12 years with the leadership of [their] seniors who will be attending USC in the fall.” The Tower sat down with Seniors Deming Wyer, Maggie Johnson, Alex Scafidi, Soyoon Park, and Head Coach Doug Peabody. The team is already at a 10-2 record and with their goal for

year due to COVID-19. Nonetheless, they still have fond memories of this trip from previous years. Maggie said, “Some of my favorite memories on this team have been on our [Santa Barbara] trips. We always visit the famous South Coast Deli too many times, go thrift shopping before seeing a movie as a team, and make a stop at In-N-Out.” Deming also said that it’s a good time to “unwind and talk to each other.”

saying that the team’s success largely comes from all the hard work they put in. “Our coaches always tell us that we are not defending a championship, but every year we are fighting for a new one,” Maggie said. “We work really hard to not get complacent and try and focus on one game at a time.” Soyoon agreed with this, saying that during practices everyone is super driven and motivated. ”We encourage each other…every-

the year on winning their fourth straight Open-Division CIF Championship. Coach Peabody said that his team “has had amazing successes in and outside of our county with tournament championships, league championships and CIF Titles.” When giving an estimate to how many girls they’ve sent to play at the collegiate level, he said that they have sent “somewhere [near] 55 girls” and and that “we are very proud of that number.” This number starts with friendship and a strong sense of teamness among the players. Both Deming and Maggie compared this to a sisterhood. “In the end we are a huge family,” Deming said. They both talked about their annual Santa Barbara trip that was canceled this

SPORTS | ISSUE 05

Good friends are able to pick each other up after setbacks. For the team, practice and game uncertainty due to COVID-19 was a challenge. According to Maggie, “long periods of training against teammates can be extremely rewarding but also very stressful.” Deming also mentioned that sometimes “all you can do is hope” and continue to “push through.” Soyoon added that “these [tougher] games have motivated us to reflect on the skills that we needed to work on and improve on them.” The team wouldn’t be so legendary without their phenomenal ability to dominate their competition. Deming and Alex referred to something that Coach Ian Davidson often says, “Live with a chip on your shoulder.” Deming built on this idea,

one puts in the hours and goes 100% and beyond during practice and during games,” she elaborated. Although no one has beat the girls in CIFs for nearly three years, the team has had to work hard to maintain a winning streak. “In other years we have always been the underdogs,” Alex explained. “We’ve had to have fight, effort, and determination.” Coach Peabody praised the girls’ dedication to the program and the team, saying that their success this year is due to the passion that the girls have for the sport of water polo. “They follow the unwritten rules inside the program of self-sacrifice for the greater good as well as a genuine affection for one another in and out of the pool,” he said. Maggie said that “the team

PC: Maggie Johnson (‘22), Alex Scafidi (‘22), @bishopsladywaterballers on Instagram

This team is so successful because the program values hard work, leadership, and teamwork, rather than individual accolades and individual success. - Maggie Johnson (‘22)

Leila Feldman

A look behind Girls’ Water Polo successes

is so successful because of the culture of the program, [which] values hard work, leadership, and teamwork, rather than individual accolades and individual success.” Deming credited their two head coaches, Ian Davidson and Doug Peabody, saying with a giggle, “Doug and Ian are gods of waterpolo” and that she doesn’t know how they know “how to deal with each and everyone of us.” Deming expanded by saying that they both bring independently fantastic qualities to each practice, whether it be evaluating film or understanding

the dynamics and set-up in the pool— all of which are vital for success. Alex also said that the team dynamic is “not clicky [and] that everyone gets along with everyone.” In their two most recent games they have beaten their opponents (1022) and (1-22) and it doesn’t seem like they are slowing down anytime soon.

After winning CIF championships last year, Alex Scafidi (‘22) was awarded the game ball for her outstanding performance.

The team constantly posts pictures of their fun activities on their Instagram (@bishopsladywaterballers), including exercise, coffee runs, and birthday shoutouts. THE

Tower

(THE MUSIC) INDUSTRY BABY Why artists are selling the rights to their music Lily Gover

he release of the “Taylor’s Version” songs appears to be the talk of the music industry at the moment. The ‘Swiftie fandom’ is so widespread that it’s rare to go a week without hearing her songs or a mention of her new albums. Contrary to Taylor Swift, hundreds of artists including huge names such as Bruce Springsteen and Shakira, have not been regaining their music rights - but selling them. Music rights and ownership are incredibly complex, and many times the rights to an artist’s music will be split between a few different companies, record labels, or people. The two main parts of music rights are publishing and recording rights. Publishing rights are the rights to the actual song that has been written while recording rights are the rights to the recording of the song. These two forms of rights can be and are often owned by separate people or groups. Before the Internet made the music world digital, artists sold their music and earned royalties through CDs. However, in more recent years, the Internet has taken away the reliance people had on listening to CDs. Suddenly people could download songs off the web, often illegally. Following the introduction of legitimate streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, listeners bought

subscriptions that enabled them to listen to hundreds of songs with one purchase. This, in turn, enabled artists to earn a profit every time a listener clicked play. It is these long-term streaming revenues that have led to the revolution in what rights are worth and how artists, labels, and investors think about them today. So, why would successful artists sell rights to the work that has made them so successful? Some might refuse to sell, but others might rather collect a large amount of money in one cheque. Sylvia Coleman, one of the leading female figures in the music industry in Europe for the past few decades, said that one artist might prefer to pay for their children’s education, or buy a new house. Another one might be thinking, “I haven’t been able to do a huge tour for the last couple of years, and who knows if I’ll be able to tour next year either…If I sell some music rights, I can generate a nice big capital sum.” She currently serves on the Board of Hipgnosis, one of the top buyers of music rights in the world. She was previously the Senior Vice President of Legal and Business Affairs at EMI Music, and also spent some time overseeing Sony’s International and European legal and business affairs. She continued to explain that artists who are perhaps towards the end of

their career might want to sell their rights as a tax strategy and generate wealth for their children. They also might not want to force the next generation of their family to run a music company. Different artists have different situations so each artist’s motives are unique. Bob Dylan, Shakira, John Legend, and Bruce Springsteen are just four of the many major artists who have recently sold their rights. Each one is at a different point in their music career, and the motive behind selling is unique to each. Through her court battle over tax evasion in Spain, Shakira obtained financial security by the selling of some of her music rights for 14 million dollars. Dylan and Springsteen, who are at the end of their careers, sold their rights for $300 million and $500 million respectively, according to Rolling Stone. They are perhaps more likely to be motivated by the enormous amounts paid, and to possibly avoid family feuds after their death. Older artists are also sometimes motivated by unpredictability in regards to streaming. Most of the young listeners on music platforms today are not listening to older hits, so older artists especially can never know for certain that their music will continue to have a consistent or rising numbers of streams. This translates to an unpredictable income. Since it is far more secure

Hipgnosis has spent billions of dollars buying 64,098 songs which are part of 138 different catalogues.

CULTURE | ISSUE 05

to be paid a huge sum all at once, many artists at the end of their careers are the ones selling their music. As the music world continues to evolve, newer artists have more control and independence than ever before. “There are now a lot more opportunities available for artists because of the internet and the ability to operate independently so that an artist doesn’t have to sign to a major label anymore”, said Ms. Coleman. “You see a lot of artists, particularly coming out of the rap/hip-hop genre who are controlling their own rights. These artists are not concerned about regaining rights, since they’ve never given them up. Their focus today will be far more on actually building up their rights independently and then in the future selling their rights to get a nice big capital sum.” The UK based company Hipgnosis is a top buyer of music rights. As their website explains, the company was created in order to give investors an opportunity to gain investment returns from songs written by culturally important artists in addition to benefiting the songwriter by offering them meaningful and fair value for their work.

According to Ms. Coleman, Hipgnosis’ pitch to investors is that they will buy a ton of music rights to invest in and the music’s value will continue going up. “There’s going to be more and more streaming, and so more and more consumers are going to buy music; they’re going to buy subscriptions and so the value of music is going to continue to increase.” On the purchasing side, Hipgnosis has been very successful because of its identity as a “Songs Fund.” Their website showed this success in numbers, revealing that the company owns the rights to 64,098 songs. Trust is an important factor in to whom an artist will sell their rights. “Hipgnosis refers to itself as a ‘song manager,’” Coleman explained. “A bit like an artist has a manager, it’s a manager of songs, which is quite a new concept… therefore they can be more successful in placing those songs [in movies, commercials etc] and generating further income from them.” The mutual trust between the buyer and the artist is important because owning the rights to a song means that the buyer is able to do what they like with

it, without the consent of the artist. She continued to explain, “An artist has to be confident [and] a songwriter has to be confident that you are going to use the song in a way that they approve of. If you’re a vegetarian, you don’t want your music to be used in a hamburger advertisement, so you want to make sure that you are working with somebody you have trust with.” This quiet revolution has transformed the music industry in just a few years. The sheer quantity of options for what an artist can do with their music rights is starting to be utilized and recognized by younger artists. Sylvia Coleman revealed, “The opportunities are there for people to develop their own careers and only sign a record contract as one option.” Many artists today are no longer entering the restrictive contracts that older artists are trying to escape from. As the selling of music rights is spreading, Taylor Swift’s fight for hers may not be the start of an era, but the end of one.

Photos courtesy of Spotify

“There are now a lot more opportunities available for artists because of the internet and the ability to operate independently.” – Ms. Sylvia Coleman

THE

Tower 19

BRICK AND BELL Your favorite friendly neighborhood coffee shop Spencer Ralph

On a busy Saturday morning, Brick & Bell employees are hard at work making breakfast for many hungry and tired locals.

“W

hat can I get for ya today?” asks Peter Watry, the founder and owner of Brick and Bell Cafe, wearing his German National Football Team jacket. Looking to your right a friendly face appears; Mr. David Johnston enjoys a freshly brewed coffee. For most Bishop’s students, Brick and Bell is a necessity to survive. Whether it is the scones, açai bowls, lattes, or the 108 items on the menu, students can’t get enough. Mr. Watry, or, “Call me Peter,” he insists, is not originally from San Diego, but has been here long enough to call it his forever home. Already in the baking business, in 2003 he came up with an idea

LOCAL & BEYOND | ISSUE 05

that would change his life forever. “Why not create a half-bakery half-coffee house?” Then, in 2003, Peter’s “life” began. The first Brick and Bell opened on Silverado Street. The colonial-like building contrasts from the urban architecture engulfing it. From then on, it has pretty much been nonstop growth for Peter. He has not taken a day off for three years. “Each morning I wake up at 4 and put in the first batch of scones — it’s never too early to do what you love.” Originally, most of the baking was done in the back kitchen, but the popularity and deliciousness of their food forced them to open an off-site bakery in 2008. What most

people do not know is that the secondary location has been right in front of them the entire time. Take a few steps into the alleyway, Drury Lane, and it is in the office building to your left. As a small local business, Brick and Bell endured the wrath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had to let all 50 employees go,” said a hesitant Peter. He turned around and started to observe the fresh M&M cookies he made. It was obvious that this was a tough moment for him to look back on. “We didn’t have the savings to keep paying anybody. We had to permanently close one restaurant,” he concluded. After letting go all of their employees, Peter and his part-

PC: Spencer Ralph (‘24)

ner—a former Brick and Bell barista—opened, baked, operated, and closed the store all by themselves. Peter was thrilled to report that all employees were able to come back and continue working for Brick & Bell. Peter and his staff do it all for “the people of La Jolla.” In fact, La Jollans are “what [he] loves the most” about his community. When Peter and his partner were in their toughest times financially, the customers in the La Jolla community came to support. “Knowing that times were tough, one of them reached out and handed us ten thousand dollars…in cash!” Peter is still grateful for the gesture, but he had to return the money because of the federal grants being given out to businesses who need them. Students, like Lexi Black (‘24) have found comfort at Brick

and Bell. “Happy or sad, it’s my goto no matter what,” she said. “You can’t go wrong with their scones, they’re heavenly,” Lexi added. However, Scarlett Helliar (‘24) thinks their cookies are “seriously the best thing you will ever have.” She continued, “Add a latte, and you’re set.” Since opening back up after the first surge of COVID-19 cases, Brick and Bell’s business has been stronger than ever. Recently, their sales have reached over five times greater than when the business was first created. Other than coffee and baking, Peter and his employees have invested in a new business: candle making. At 12 p.m. every day, the bakery on Drury Lane closes down for the day, and employees move in to make the candles. Currently their candle selection includes Pumpkin Apple

Butter, Evening in Berlin, Apple Jack Peel, The Mood, and Santa’s Spruce. According to Peter, one successful part about business is playing it like a game. “Guess what my favorite sport is…my business,” laughs Peter. In his sport, Peter has many competitors and rivals, but attempts his best to use tactics and defense strategies. “You never know what can get you in or out of the game,” he said. Peter’s passion for Brick and Bell goes beyond baking or coffee. People are his real passion. Painted on the concrete stairs of their Silverado Street location, a bright blue and green heart says, “stand here to feel the love.” 10,000 people have Peter’s number. Brick and Bell “doesn’t have customers, [they] have friends.”

Brick & Bell owner Peter Watry loves to chat and connect with the community around him. If you’re lucky, he might even offer you a fresh M&M cookie!

“We don’t have customers, we have friends.” – Peter Watry, Founder and Owner of Brick and Bell Cafe THE

Tower 21

FROM MOSCOW

TO BEIJING “A

dream is a wish your heart makes,” Cinderella sang to her bird friends in the Disney classic. It is a goal that slowly becomes feasible through years of hard work and dedication. For some, that dream might be getting into an Ivy League school. For others, owning a business of their own tops that list. But for most athletes, there are no bigger dreams than becoming an Olympian. It’s a dream that buries its seed in childhood, and with years of brutal training coupled with a sprinkle of luck to peak just at the right time and staying injury free, can be reached by only the fortunate few. And imagine having it all taken away in an instant with a governmental decision to boycott. Olympic boycotts are nothing new. The first mention of such can be traced all the way back to 332 BCE when an athlete from the city of Athens was caught trying

Should the government have the right to boycott the Olympics? Sydney Chan

you a lot of good came out of it. However, it unfortunately didn’t alter history, nor save lives on the battleground. As a matter of fact, with all the political pressure and the sacrifices the athletes made, the Soviets occupied Afghanistan for eight more years after the 1980 Moscow Games. Ultimately, it was the mounting number of lives lost and the exhaustion of resources that finally pushed the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to sign a peace accord with Afghanistan in April of 1988. So what did this boycott gain politically? Nothing. What did this boycott cause emotionally? Everything. Hundreds of athletes’ lives were wrecked, and thousands more lives of those who were close to those athletes were dramatically affected. As if all this was not enough, what followed four years later is even more ironic: the U.S.S.R. and 13 of its Eastern European

world. This led to Schlegel’s winning of two golds at the Commonwealth Games and becoming a front runner to represent Canada at the Moscow Games in 1980. Everything seemed to be in line for the eager and talented 16-year-old. But in a blink of an eye, the opportunity to compete for her country at the Olympics was taken away from her. “It was devastating and confusing. I didn’t understand what [politics] had to do with gymnastics and the Olympic Games,” Schlegel expressed to me. Athletic Director Coach Paula Conway added, “[going through a situation like boycotting the Olympics] is almost like going through death.” This is not at all an exaggeration. Many athletes put everything else in their lives on hold for a once in a lifetime chance to compete at the Games. They are up at the crack of dawn to squeeze in a practice before heading to school, and when

I pray that we will never come to that again… The [amount of] lives that [the boycott] affected is hard to describe. — Elfi Schlegel to “fix” his match. Modern day boycotts, however, are most often caused by political conflicts. Although some are used to address specific actions taken by a particular nation, others have simply taken place as diplomatic retaliation. The biggest boycott in the history of the modern Olympics was the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. In an attempt to take a stand against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Former President Jimmy Carter decided against sending a delegation to participate in the Games and many US allies followed suit. According to Time Magazine, out of the 67 nations that did not participate in 1980, at least 45 of the countries withdrew because of Carter’s actions. I wish I could tell

OPINION | ISSUE 05

comrades boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Even though the Soviets cited fear of their athletes’ security as the official reason for the boycott, it is widely understood that this boycott was simply a tit-for-tat and nothing more. This blatant retaliation to the 1980 boycott made very little splash politically, yet another generation of athletes suffered the unnecessary consequences. Canadian gymnast Elfi Schlegel remembered that suffering all too well. She was one of the best gymnasts in the world in 1980. Having started gymnastics at seven years old, she instantly knew that it was the right sport for her. By the time she was 12, she had been named to the women’s national team and started to compete all over the

we are out with our friends grabbing a boba tea after school, they are back at the rink, the pool, the field, the court, whatever you name it, for their second practice session of the day. Some have to be homeschooled and forgo having a social life altogether, just to accommodate their training schedule and keep the dream alive; not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars their families spent on training, and the countless hours spent driving them to practice and competitions. So to have it all taken away without any personal input feels like a death sentence. It makes you feel gutted, numb, bitter, and angry. And on top of it all, people did not outwardly talk about mental health back in the days. Athletes were assumed to be strong, and simply

This is what the Olympics should be all about: athletes from different countries coming together to not only compete and bring pride to their nation but have fun and enjoy each other’s company. Pictured are the beach volleyball medalists at the 2016 Rio Summer Games.

PC: Samson Chan

told to move on. What an impossible task that must have been. As a result, many athletes’ careers came to an abrupt end due to lack of outlet and motivation. Some left the sport that they loved simply in the hope of forgetting it all and leaving everything in the past. Schlegel said, “I pray that we will never come to that again… The [amount of] lives that [the boycott] affected is hard to describe.” And yet, the word boycott seems to come up every few years. The US government has considered boycotting 3 out of the 8 most recent Olympic games (2008 in Beijing, 2014 in Sochi, and now 2022 in Beijing again) citing China’s human rights issues and Russia’s well known doping problem. This is not to say it isn’t important to fight for what we believe in. However, by taking a stand against one injustice, it doesn’t give anyone the right to create another, and then simply view it as the collateral damage for a greater good. During our recent interview, award winning journalist Andrea Joyce who is about to embark on her 16th trip to the Olympics put it best: “since the athletes were never consulted on which cities should be awarded the honor of hosting the games, why should they face the consequences?” No one should be forced to compete; however, on the flip side, no one should be forced to withdraw either. Those who participated in the 1936 Berlin Games weren’t there because they agreed with the Nazi regime. People often think that taking a stand on an issue means it has to involve a lot of people and make a huge amount of noise. However, the loudest message and the biggest political statement during the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games came from a silent gesture. Known as the Black Power salute, the image of Tommie Smith and John Carlo on the Olym-

pic podium with their black gloved hands over their heads is the most memorable moment from those games. They had initially intended to boycott the Mexico City Olympics due to the unfair treatment of Black Americans and racial inequality; the two eventually chose to compete, believing that greater opportunities for activism globally would arise; and they were right. Taking a stand on the track with millions watching was proven to be so much more impactful. Star swimmer Lucius Brown (‘22) who recently competed in the Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha recalled that iconic moment from ‘68 when I spoke with him. He expressed that “while it is always important to take a stand in what you believe, athletes aren’t to blame [for the political issues between governments], and therefore, shouldn’t be punished.” It seems to be a no-brainer that instead of using athletes as pawns, and robbing them of the chance of a lifetime, world leaders need to come up with a much more effective way to take a stand. I can’t imagine that the decision makers aren’t aware that boycotting the games doesn’t actually make many real changes in the countries they aim to punish. But it sure is the cheapest way to take a stand with the least amount of legal headaches. Why not force Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, to shut down his newest showroom in XinJiang, the very province the US government recently banned imports from due to human rights abuses? Because he has rights. Why not consider sending the athletes to the Games but not let any US broadcaster televise the event? Because Comcast will probably sue for damages. But isn’t that a much better way to block the PR propaganda from the host countries, and therefore make a bigger impact? And if broadcasting companies stop paying the OIC billions for Olympics coverage rights due to the host countries tarnished pub-

lic image, then isn’t it possible that they may finally start to pick some better host countries? “I hope our government and other sports leadership do all they can to ensure that those Olympic dreams are continued to be made available for every young kid who dares to dream. [Boycotting] should be the absolute last resort and not the first to be considered,” David Marsh, an American swimmer, Head U.S. Olympic Women’s Swim Coach in Rio 2016, and 1980 Olympic hopeful, told me. “Sure some are celebrities, but many athletes train in relative obscurity their entire lives… just for that one moment. It seems unfair that athletes would pay such a huge price for something totally out of their control,” Joyce added. With the White House recently announcing their choice of a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, many are relieved. Even though some may feel that not sending governmental officials isn’t the strongest message we can send, one has to admit that it’s the most clever compromise we’ve got right now. Having the freedom to choose is what we, as Americans, are extremely proud of. It’s what sets us apart from many other nations in the world. Therefore, participation in an event such as the Olympic Games should be a personal choice; it should be respected as a basic right; and no government should be allowed to take it away from you. Innocent athletes should never be the sacrificial lamb in political disagreements. It’s not right. It’s not fair. And it needs to stop. Now. So let the Games begin.

THE

Tower 23

BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK We need to learn about the history of racism earlier Editorial Board

wo ropes, found in the boys’ locker room and the outdoor tennis courts, tied like nooses. To us, as upperclassmen on The Tower, the symbolism of the action was clear: it represented hatred and racism, invoking the imagery of lynchings during the Jim Crow era. However, not everyone saw it that way. In fact, even one perpetrator who placed the ropes reportedly claimed to not understand the symbolism behind these actions. Unintentional ignorance like this is systemic—it stems from a lack of education. Our school prides itself on diversity, inclusivity, and a curriculum intended to shape morally upstanding students, not just intelligent ones. The strides that Bishop’s has taken to create space for these necessary conversa-

that we cannot let continue. In an email to parents and guardians sent on February 1, Head of School Mr. Ron Kim wrote, “It would be a mistake to believe that such actions are isolated.” The onus for remedying this falls in part on individual students and families, but our school forms the most significant backdrop to the way we grow up to understand the world. “Education is the only way to do preventive work,” Director of Counseling Mrs. Megan Broderick said, explaining that she believes education in History should begin as young as possible, in the home as well as at school. While we, and the administration, and faculty were outraged to see this on our campus, without a sufficient education on racist symbols, incidents like this will happen again. “If we realize we for-

multiple sources who wished to remain anonymous, the perpetrator(s) claimed they had never learned what lynching was or what a noose represents. In our eyes, and from our reporting, we understand that this indicates a clear lack of education on the racially-charged history and symbolism of the nooses, which could be combated with curricular adjustments. As it stands, the History curriculum enrolls eighth graders in American History 8, a course that, according to the Curriculum Guide, “provides students a foundational understanding of early American history.” This includes “the progression of slavery and the experiences of enslaved people,” as well as factors leading up to the Civil War, according to Course Head Ms. Kristin Sargeant. American History 8 teacher

If we realize we forgot to teach geometry, we shouldn’t just be like

‘never - Ms. Janice Murabayashi tions about racism in the US, such as DEIJ enrichments and a comprehensive study of social justice in 11th grade US History, should not be overlooked. We believe we need curricular reform to educate our students better, earlier, on the realities of racism. If the perpetrators foresaw no issue with placing such a symbol on campus, that indicates a problem not only in our culture but in our education. Even in the event of the perpetrator(s) having no malicious intent, the hateful, damaging, traumatic impact of their actions remains the same, and that should be the frame of mind with which we evaluate this incident. And even as the perpetrator(s) were new to the School this year, Bishop’s has a pattern—one

COVER STORY | ISSUE 05

mind.’

got to teach geometry, we shouldn’t just be like ‘never mind,’” Academic Dean Ms. Janice Murabayashi said. “We need to respond to that.” There’s a very real possibility that the perpetrators of this incident were, as they claim, unaware of the racially-charged history of a noose-like rope. According to an anonymous source, the rope found in the boys’ locker room was fashioned in a large hoop hanging over a bench, not wound and tied in the likeness of the nooses in our American History textbooks. It was not a hangman’s knot. The language used in the school-wide emails and the assembly, then, that the ropes were found hung in a manner “reminiscent of a noose,” feels true to the situation. According to

Mr. Kamal Assaf spoke to the difficulties of covering so many centuries of material in a middle school class with a 30-minute homework restriction. “I’m not sure if we’re topically going to get to where kids understand about Reconstruction and start to talk about the rise of the KKK, the rise of segregation and Jim Crow. That’s the challenge,” he said. Perhaps this indicates that a shift in priority is necessary. The next chance Bishop’s students get to learn in a class about the antebellum South, The Civil War, and the Reconstruction Era is in 11th grade US History, which is also offered to seniors. How can it be that Bishop’s students can go about their studies, deep into their adolescence, without learning about this?

Grappling with the horrifying realities of our country’s past for the first time in a classroom at age 16 or 17 is harmfully late, as the repeated hateful incidents at our school demonstrate. Honors US History teacher Mr. John Nagler said, “Our class covers lynchings and the iconography of lynchings, the iconography of Jim Crow, historic revisionism, and I know other [US History] classes go into depth there too. … There’s a good chance that people don’t have in-depth exposure to these topics until they go through US History as a junior or maybe a senior. And I don’t know where people would get a good sense of that stuff outside of school.” And he’s right. During the town hall, Head Coach of Girls’ Water Polo Doug Peabody asked the room when they first start learning about lynching and the history of nooses. No one could provide an example where Bishop’s educated students on lynching before 11th grade. However, that’s not to say the School has not made some steps in the right direction, as they have stepped away from nationwide curricula. “One advantage of our School’s decision to replace Advanced Placement courses with honors courses is that it gives our teachers more space and flexibility to dig deeper into the historical narratives of marginalized populations, which includes investigations of historical racism, with our students,” History and Social Sciences Chair Ms. Karri Woods said. “We are able to devote more time to engaging with primary and secondary sources that feature a variety of perspectives and voices.” Additionally, on February 14, Ms. Murabayashi notified the Bishop’s community via email that students would take US history in tenth grade instead of eleventh. Students could take Honors European History or elective courses in eleventh. “Students will have a stronger understanding of major historical events and trends in world and US history before diving into elective topics,” she explained. However, the two courses in which this material can be covered in depth are US Social History and Racism, Genocide, and the Holocaust, both of which are semester-long elective courses. They are electives, optional, not mandated parts of the curriculum, and further, they’re only available for sophomores, juniors, and seniors to enroll in. We have faculty here who are capable of teaching these courses and this material; this feels like a time to reevaluate our sequencing. “Part of the fun

and challenge of teaching history is carving out space to help our students draw meaningful connections between historical and contemporary realities, tensions, and concerns,” Ms. Woods explained. Minority children often learn about racism at a very young age, from first-hand experience or from parents who feel an obligation to prepare their children. “Some people don’t have the privilege of not being able to learn about racism at a young age, and there shouldn’t be that discrepancy,” Mrs. Broderick said. There’s a privilege in being able to pause and say that this subject matter is too overwhelming or dark to be taught in a classroom; that feels like an immense disservice to Bishop’s Black students. We have to do right by every member of the Bishop’s community. And isn’t it a disservice in and of itself to not educate all students—underclassmen and middle schoolers included—on this frightening and real chapter of our history? However, it’s important to note that the curriculum cannot change overnight, or even in one year. “Moving the order of classes around or re-imagining which classes could be offered at a particular point in a department’s scope and sequence is a time-intensive process,” Ms. Woods said. “If a major scope and sequence shift might help a department better meet their goals, there is a willingness to explore and potentially implement those changes if they align with the school’s broader academic program and mission.” “The urge to completely overhaul the curriculum is understandable, but there are so many layers that I would want to get more information and understand things better before making sweeping changes,” Ms. Murabayashi said. “Conversations have started as a result of the nooses. Teachers are looking at what they’re doing and identifying what will produce productive conversation.” She continued, “I absolutely believe that education is a great preventer. It’s hard to predict any 100 percent result, but it can make a big impact on people’s lives. Yes.” “As teachers and as a department we are continually reevaluating our curriculum,” Honors US History teacher Dr. Jeff Geoghegan wrote to The Tower. “A big part of that reevaluation is a commitment to racial and social justice and to helping our community better understand the history of racism and its continuing impact and legacy. This is an ongoing process, of course, and recent events, both nationally

and in our own community, remind us that this work is never done.” Our community was shaken by the discovery of those two ropes over that January weekend. But the response to these incidents is what defines how we move forward. As exemplified by the assembly and Town Hall, the School demonstrated a transparency and engagement we sometimes haven’t seen in years past. To the faculty and administration, we do want to say thank you. We see that you are trying. We are as well. As the Chair of the Religion and Ethics Department, Dr. Regina Ballard said, “That response is so important because a lot of other places do sweep things under the rug. While we have a ton of room to grow, we’re also not the perfect students and the perfect faculty.” But if we’re doing our best, we need to do more. From the conversations we’ve witnessed within our community since the assembly on January 25, the questions raised and experiences shared in the Town Hall, and the responses published in The Daily Urinal, we see the appetite for change in our community. This article is the first step in our coverage. We hope it can find a place among the strides our School has taken so that we don’t find ourselves writing this article again.

THE

Tower 25

What teachers have you seen at the YMCA?

I NEVER miss the chance to take an excellent selfie!

Waking up at 5:45am, driving up the mountain, and walking in the door of the YMCA, the thing I least expected to see were my astounding educators! It’s a delight! Completely! I absolutely love seeing my favourite teachers after getting sweaty on the tready. At this point, I have to keep a tally for how many times I come across my lovely instructors—whose names I will keep very very confidential—trying to bulk up before hot girl summer 2022. We’re in February, people! We’re at the stage where New Year’s Resolutions either stick or slick. Tune in next week to find out whether our stellar faculty will commit for that beach bod. I hope none of them snitch on me while I flagrantly break the YMCA’s mask policy.

Should I be afraid of climate change? As a proud worker in the tourism economy, I would like to quell everyone’s fears about climate change, also known as global warming or enforced global sauna. To quote Bonnie from Big Brother UK, “global warming is really good because it warms up the world, it gives us all tans, and it makes us all very hot.” Maybe I’m a little nostalgic for summer, but the world is just too cold nowadays! To be quite honest, we’re doing all those polar bears a favour. Who really wants to walk on all that ice? Melting it is the best thing we could possibly do for them. Also, more water means more fish! And if they really want that ice, what’s stopping them from going to the store? I think they’re just ruining the fun for everyone. In 2050, I’m going to have a stellar tan, and its all thanks to ExxonMobil. Thanks, besties!

Has senioritis set in for you yet? I wish it would! I was promised a lifetime of laziness and a zero effort ride to a degree. It turns out I actually need to do work? Ms. Chrystal is still assigning math quizzes? Woe is me! The injustice is real! If this is the waiting period, then let me wait in peace! Let me wean away my tax return while I sit crisscross-apple-sauce staring at my admissions portal.

THE BELL | ISSUE 05

As time has gone on, I have become sixteen years older but fifty years younger in style. I’m really serving grandpa at Disneyland in the late 90s in this photo.

PC: Kyle Berlage (‘22), Mira Gowda (‘22)

no one asked, K Y L E

1. “MY ACCOUNT IS NOT HACKED” 2. Captain America Civil War 3. Venom 4. McDonald’s Superbowl Ad 5. Make Kanye 2006 Again 6. 7. All caps is back no cap 8. NO COMMENT - ariana 9. 10. “GOD PLEASE BRING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER”

DONT DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL TO [PETE]

Do you think jokes about mental health are funny?

top ten

KANYE POSTS THE

Tower 27