November Issue 2020

the

FOURTH

estate

LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

4125 PALOMA DRIVE SANTA BARBARA, CA

NOVEMBER 2020

NEWS

FEATURE

5 — DEI with Ursula Chan 6 — Masks and Politics 8 — RBG

10 — Sleep Schedules 11 — Mental Health 13 — Advice from a Life Coach

OPINION

LIFESTYLE

14 — Climate Change 16 — Heteronormativity 18 — Stance of the Staff 20 — Athletes in Politics 22 — Friends and Political Views 24 — College Board

26 — Binge Worthy Shows 28 — The Cloudy Future of Films 29 — COVID Conditioning 30 — Rise of Harry Potter 32 — Alternative Fashion Trends 33 — Sports Highlights

STAFF

AMELIA FOWLER photographed in an artistic interpretation of “keeping our heads above water” PHOTOS by FRANCES CARLSON and MADELEINE NICKS

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Daisy Finefrock Phoebe Stein

NEWS EDITORS Daisy Finefrock Phoebe Stein

CREATIVE DIRECTORS Frances Carlson Madeleine Nicks

FEATURE EDITORS Frances Carlson Madeleine Nicks

BUSINESS MANAGERS Dare Fitzpatrick Hanna Masri

OPINION EDITOR Claire Tolles

WEB EDITORS Keenan Surber Nafisah Fathima

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Elli Westmacott LIFESTYLE EDITORS Dare Fitzpatrick Hanna Masri

STAFF Alex Bates Carson Bohnet Lyla Bollag Luca D’Agruma Olivia Davenport Myles Hazen Abby Kim Nikki Mielcarek Cierra Nervo Patrik Nugent Taylor Smith Cora Vides Andreas Jackson FACULTY ADVISER Trish McHale, MJE

Letter from the Editors H

ello Laguna!

It’s been incredible to see each of you on campus for the past few months — it’s crazy actually to be able to say that. We had no idea if, when, or how we’d get back to campus, yet our community made it work, and here we are.

It was neither a normal nor an easy process to return to school in the midst of this pandemic, but the faculty, students, and community have made the best of a terrible situation.

The Laguna staff are working tirelessly to create a safe and comfortable learning environment for everyone. It would feel wrong not to appreciate them in our magazine explicitly!

It may not be what we seniors were expecting for our last year of high school, but knowing the resilience that Laguna has, we know that we are luckier than most.

We chose this issue’s theme to be “Keeping our heads above water” because it’s truly what our community is best at doing.

When the wildfires and mudslides devastated Montecito, we found comfort and solace in one another. Now, with a global pandemic, there’s no doubt in our minds that we will find a way to thrive even in the worst of conditions.

From mask breaks to the social distancing patrols, there are numerous adjustments we’ve had to make. Through it all, the students are dressing up eagerly on spirit days, teachers are cracking jokes during lectures, and kids play volleyball after school.

It’s been hard. No one denies that. Even being back at campus means facing a new set of struggles, a new set of challenges that we will have to face together. The keyword here is together… we may be facing a lot in the coming months, but we will take it on as a community.

The best we can do right now is be positive, so we’re going to leave you with the cheesiest positive affirmation we could think of: let’s make this year the best we can, Owls, and make pitchers of lemonade out of lemons.

Go, Laguna!

Sincerely,

Editors-in-Chief Phoebe Stein & Daisy Finefrock

• MISSION STATEMENT The Fourth Estate is an open forum created for and by journalism students of Laguna Blanca Upper School. We hope to use this space to cover events, interviews and topics of interest in greater depth.

Our staff seeks to be a platform for creative expression and to report on events and ideas of importance to our readers and to focus on topics of significance and interest to inform and entertain the school community.

• LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Fourth Estate welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and must be no longer than 400 words. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity and/or taste. Anonymous letters will not be published. The Fourth Estate reserves the right to reject advertising. Opinions expressed in this publication reflect the perspectives of the staff whose goal is to inform our readers with reliable information from which to base decisions and opinions. Editorials represent the voice of the staff and are voted on by the entire staff. Columns and commentaries are labeled as such and represent the opinion of the author. The Fourth Estate publishes four issues per year with a senior insert in the last issue.

• BYLINE POLICY When two or three people work on a story, all names will be listed. If an editor rewrites a majority of a story, the editor’s name will be listed.

• CORRECTION POLICY The staff strives for accuracy. When factual errors occur, mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff, corrections will be printed in a corrections box in the next issue.

• COLOPHON This is the first issue of the new decade and 26th volume of the Laguna Blanca School, 4125 Paloma Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93110, magazine, The Fourth Estate.

Contacts are available at tmchale@lagunablanca.org, (805) 687-2461 x0317 or www.thefourthestate.net.

Laguna Blanca School has an EK through 12th grade student population of approximately 400, with 100 in the Lower School, 110 in the Middle School and 182 in the Upper School, and a faculty of approximately 60. The Fourth Estate is an 8.5 by 11 general magazine, created on Apple computers on Adobe InDesign CC2020, using FreightNeo Pro and Big Caslon font families and printed on glossy paper free for students and $30 for annual subscriptions. The magazine is distributed to all Upper School students through the school’s advisory program and sent by mail to subscribers and advertisers with 300 copies printed per issue. We are associated with NSPA, CSPA and JEA.

4 • NEWS thefourthestate.net

DEI PROGRAM LAUNCHED Diversity, equity and inclusion are the main focus of the new DEI program Featuring an in-depth interview with Ursula Chan, the program’s new coordinator, readers will get an opportunity to learn more about the new initiative.

O

ur school is constantly striving for perfection—excellent teachers and academics, a balance between school and play for students, and a sense of belonging for every community member.

Laguna is an exceptional establishment, however students have expressed concerns regarding a lack of appropriate education on diversity, equity and inclusion.

An Instagram account called “Dear Laguna,” dedicated to “uplifting and amplifying voices of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups at Laguna Blanca School,” was introduced to the community on July 13.

There are 45 posts, and 255 followers. The anonymous account managers share posts that showcase anonymous quotes from students or alumni who share their experiences.

One post shares, “Laguna is advertised in a way that makes it look picture perfect with the ‘all-inclusive’ and ‘all welcoming’ environment. As someone in the LGBTQ+ community, I can tell you that this isn’t all true in any form.”

Other posts are similar to this regarding disparities in economic status, race, and other topics.

This account aims to spread awareness to students, faculty, staff and board members of individuals’ difficulties due to circumstances they feel they cannot control.

Laguna created an initiative, the DEI program, for high school students that addresses diversity, equity and inclusion.

Spanish instructor and DEI Coordinator Ursula Chan created and oversees the new program. “My long-term goal is to develop restorative and transformative justice procedures for all members of the community so that we can practice accountability as part of our school culture.”

[The goal of the program is to] “ensure that all members of the community are safe, successful, valued, included and that they leave with a strong understanding of the world outside of their own.”

Chan shared how important she feels this initiative is for the benefit of all students, saying she wants to “be the person on campus who [she] needed when [she] was in K-12. [She] needed someone to tell [her], ‘Yeah, what you just experienced was racism. You’re not overreacting. How can I help you address this?’ It is important to [see] yourself represented in people who occupy leadership positions.”

There are things that each of us can do to make Laguna a more welcoming, inclusive and ultimately accepting environment for the benefit of everyone in our community.

Chan shares some simple changes that we, as a community, can make to support diversity, equity and inclusion:

DEI Coordinator Ursula Chan 1. Offer your pronouns when you introduce yourself.

2. Use gender-neutral language ALWAYS ex: “Good morning, students” and “Y’all have five minutes until we switch!”

3. Actively seek out ways you can better inform yourself on these topics (podcasts, books, documentaries).

4. Be OK with not getting it right the first time and knowhow to initiate repair if harm was caused.

5. Allow yourself and others to grow and change your/their mind in the same conversation.

Easy yet effective changes like these are things that students, teachers and all community members can and should incorporate into daily life for respect and consideration towards marginalized groups at the school. Making all community members feel safe, included and comfortable at school is the utmost priority for the DEI program.

WORDS and ART by DARE FITZPATRICK

thefourthestate.net NEWS • 5

Coronavirus: Masks as a Political Argument and National Divide When the coronavirus blazed through the U.S., political leaders sent mixed messages regarding how the public should deal with the pandemic—specifically if the public should wear a mask—displaying a deeper issue in American politics.

A

t the beginning of this pandemic, there were many unknowns, Covid-19, a coronavirus family member had never been seen in humans before. Scientists were unsure how to handle and manage the virus and research to conclude what to do.

Once scientists had done research, they concluded that the coronavirus is serious and deadly yet preventable.

As early as April 3, the White House Corona-virus Task Force and the CDC strongly recommended that the public wear masks to stop the virus’s spread.

President Donald Trump’s response to the CDC’s strong suggestion to wear masks was, “the CDC is advising the use of non medical cloth face covering as an additional voluntary public health measure. So it’s voluntary. You don’t have to do it. They suggested for a period of time, but this is voluntary. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it.”

President Trump stated that he “doesn’t see” it for himself to wear a mask.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on June 18, after the CDC announced that masks would be instrumental in slowing the spread of the virus, President Trump said that wearing a face mask was a symbol of disapproval for the president rather than to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The President’s messages turned masks into a radical Republican symbol rather than a tool for public safety.

These comments drew a line in the

sand—if you wear a mask, you don’t support President Trump; if you don’t wear a mask, you support President Trump.

And naturally, this led to Americans refusing to wear masks to stand in solidarity with their president.

On July 14, the CDC announced that “the latest science...affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities.”

The CDC confirmed the fact that they had suspected since April 3 and advised on April 3.

Although President Trump did state on Aug. 13 that “[his] administration has a different approach,” to “urge Americans to wear masks” as a “patriotic thing to do,” his messages to the public were still mixed.

Even in this announcement, President Trump remarked that “Maybe [masks are] great, and maybe they’re just good.

Maybe they’re not so good.”

But the damage was already done. The administration and President Trump further divided America on another issue, yet this time it is even more dangerous because public health is being toyed with by politicians.

After this announcement, Trump and his team expressed resentment towards masks and safety precautions.

President Trump refused to wear a mask when speaking to the public and encouraged a journalist to take off his

mask so Trump could hear him better during a White House press briefing after the CDC stated that masks are proven to slow the spread.

At the first 2020 Presidential debate, the President mocked former Vice President Joe Biden for wearing a mask.

“When needed, I wear masks. I don’t wear masks like [Biden]. Every time you see [Biden], he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from them, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”

He said this as his family and team were sitting in the audience mask free — three days later, on Oct. 2, President Trump and first lady Melania tested positive for Covid-19, Biden tested negative.

When President Trump returned from Walter Reed Hospital on Oct. 5, he took off his mask in front of the press and the public, all while still having the Corona virus.

Although Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, early on did say that masks were not recommended to the general public due to fears of a shortage of face coverings for medical professionals.

After the CDC announced that masks were instrumental and necessary, President Trump’s actions cultivated a deadly anti-mask sentiment among some Americans.

This confusion has affected all Americans as well as those on campus. “When

6 • NEWS thefourthestate.net

there was the first talk about the corona virus, I noticed some people wearing masks, but it was unclear whether the masks were effective or not,” junior Sofia Anderson said.

“It was very confusing to see a division of people where some were wearing masks, and some weren’t. It was really hard to know whether or not to wear a mask in certain situations,” junior Catie Fristoe said.

Masks have become a political statement that further expresses the political divide in Washington, D.C. — a relatively recent issue.

AP United States History and AP Comparative Politics teacher Dena Montague explains, “The increasing difficulty of passing bipartisan legislation is the result of several events that occurred concurrently in the late 80s and 90s.”

Firstly, Montague cites “Newt Gingrich, who served as Speaker of the House from 1995 -1999” as laying “the groundwork for this era of extremely

partisan politics. He enacted a strategy in which political opponents were no longer seen as competitors but rather as enemies and traitors.”

With Gingrich as the speaker, “meanness” was encouraged to gain power, and compromise was discouraged.

Additionally, the Fairness Doctrine, “which required balanced news coverage,” was eliminated in 1987, making way for “partisan news in a 24-hour cycle.”

“Under the Fairness Doctrine, the sole purpose of news was to inform. With the elimination of the Doctrine, news outlets sought to generate revenue through increased viewership. They thus became more sensational and a source of ‘entertainment,’ as they were not required to offer a balanced perspective.”

Montague points to “the era of social media” in politics as “alter[ing] the pre90s political culture of civility.”

She added, “Social media has caused “extreme partisanship as people typically engage in an echo chamber which

reinforces the idea of the opposing party as the enemy,” an ideology reflected in “our legislative process” today where “we rarely see true bi-partisan legislation passed.”

Although compromises in Congress did not start during President Trump’s presidency, many of the issues during his first term have deepened this divide.

Democrats and Republicans have become increasingly partisan on many topics — masks are just the latest issue.

This divide across party lines has made it much more difficult to pass bipartisan legislation and come to a unified consensus — an issue that is displayed with the matter of masks but one that can be traced to the late 80s.

WORDS and ART by HANNA MASRI

thefourthestate.net NEWS • 7

Celebrating the Life of RBG A tribute to the life, career and accomplishments of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Members of the Laguna community share a reflection of RBG’s significance both personally and historically.

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WORDS by FRANCES CARLSON and MADELEINE NICKS ART by TAYLOR SMITH

insburg was born and raised in Brooklyn, the daughter of two immigrants. She attended Cornell, Harvard, and Colombia, studying law and earning her bachelor of arts degree in government.

She began with a scholarship at Cornell, where she met her future husband Martin. R Ginsburg. They had two children together, James and Jane.

Ginsburg moved on to Harvard, where she was but one of eight women in her 500 person class.

She was the first female member of the esteemed Harvard Law Review, while caring for her young daughter and attending her husband’s classes while he recovered from testicular cancer.

Ginsburg graduated from Colombia in 1959 at the top of her class, and would

later become the first tenured female professor at the university.

Thus she began her journey to become the second female member of the Supreme Court.

In 1993, Ginsburg was nominated to the Supreme Court by Bill Clinton with a sweeping 96-3 confirmation vote by the Senate.

In comparison, the newest Supreme Court member Brett Kavanaugh, was confirmed with a 50-43 vote. While on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg fought for LGBTQ+rights, abortion rights and gender equality.

Over her 27 years as a Justice, Ginsburg led the fight for many essential cases that have forever changed the political world as we know it.

Ginsburg died on September 18, 2020 due to a complication from metastatic pancreatic cancer.

This loss was felt around the world, and politicians and global leaders from all backgrounds and affiliations mourned the passing of a respected and powerful figure, and a role model to many young women.

“My family and I have always looked up to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was a trailblazer for women’s rights and saw and led so much progress in her life. She is truly an example of the positive change a single person can make,” senior Kate Spaulding said.

Dena Montague History Instructor

Victoria Dryden English Instructor

Anna Alldredge English Instructor

It is extraordinary to think about how one person did so much to move women towards equal citizenship. In 1993, RBG was confirmed with a 96-3 vote in the Senate.

I hope our Legislature will one day again universally support Justices that believe in continual movement towards equality.

Right now I am deeply worried about the direction of the Court. But I remain hopeful because of the spirit and passion demonstrated by so many young people determined to carry on the legacy of RBG.

For me, RBG was a voice of truth in a world that has become increasingly corrupt and polarized, and confusing. I cannot entirely agree with every ruling or opinion that Ginsburg wrote or expressed.

Nevertheless, I applaud her process and her strength in speaking the truth she believed to be just, despite the challenges and the biases that repeatedly confronted her. She spoke the truth, and her truth was rooted in justice.

Today, I believe, we are losing sight of those two concepts - truth and justice.

RBG defined both with grace and integrity that I would argue have become exceptions to the norm.

RBG showed me, and so many others, the true art of transformational leadership. As she said, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

For decades, RBG tirelessly led our country in the direction of equity, inclusion, and justice.

She believed in the “more perfect Union” of our nation, and guided us towards that noble goal for decades.

RBG’s legacy is a call to action for all of us to lead with integrity, wisdom, and love. May peace be upon her.

Ginsburg fought for LGBTQ+ rights, abortion rights and gender equality.

8 • NEWS thefourthestate.net

thefourthestate.net NEWS • 9

Sleep: Remote v. In-Person

Quarantine’s Effect on Students

Exploring the implications of student sleep schedules during remote learning.

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During COVID-19 students +++have had to adjust and readjust their routines, schedules and social situations, which has contributed to the downfall of their mental health.

WORDS and ART by CLAIRE TOLLES

t’s commonly accepted that students--teenagers--need more sleep. Their growing bodies need to rest, their expanding minds need to decompress, and their developing “body-clocks” or circadian rhythms need to stay healthy.

Many widely-known factors obstruct student sleep schedules, including stress, homework and technology, but today there is yet another obstacle students face: remote learning.

With this approach to education comes a whole new set of pros and cons. The question students face now is whether or not remote learning is better for their health, their grades and their sleep.

In an anonymous, school-wide poll of students in grades 9-12, some praised the shortened schedule claiming, “I get so much sleep remote. It’s amazing.”

In fact, 58.1 percent of the student poll group agreed that they got more sleep remote than in-person.

A multitude of factors influences this opinion.

Students who say they get more sleep than before mainly attribute it to the school’s shorter schedule. “It’s because I’m not staying up late doing homework,” one student explained.

When asked about their workloads, most students agree that they feel overwhelmed, but the shorter school day helps take the pressure off. “The workload is more than before but having the day end at 12:15 takes away a lot of stress,” one student agrees.

Another attractive feature of the new schedule is that students have more time to sleep in before school. Several responses brought up the point that starting school at 9 a.m. means not waking “up at 6 a.m. to get ready.”

Unfortunately, not all students feel this way about their workloads and stress levels. Even those who claim to be getting more sleep than before agree that there are complicating factors. “Although I can sleep slightly later, this does not account for staying up later to complete work,” a surveyed student said.

Of course, grade levels must play a factor in any student’s workload. Seniors and Juniors preparing for college applications, SATs, ACTs, and AP tests generally report more stress and bigger workloads.

On the whole, students agree their teachers are trying to

help lessen these stressors. “I am getting less sleep during remote learning.

Even though teachers are kind enough to make most assignments optional, I have extracurricular activities until 6:00 p.m. I then work on homework until about midnight and wake up by 8:15 to get ready for school,” freshman Jake Gidney said.

Workload, stress, and extracurriculars are not the only factors contributing to student sleep problems. Blue light emitted from device screens can inhibit the brain’s ability to fall asleep—as well as cause or exacerbate headaches.

“Because of the excessive amount of screen time and an increased workload, I’ve noticed myself become more and more sleep-deprived,” junior Noah Kamps said.

Whether or not the remote learning environment has affected everyone negatively or positively, there is always something you can do to improve your health.

Stress is, of course, a significant cause of sleep-deprivation, and since national stress levels are at an all- time high due to the implications of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to improve mental well-being.

In a 2013, TEDGlobal Talk, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal spoke about how people’s view of stress can directly affect their physical health.

Through studies and surveys, McGonigal proved that if an individual viewed their stress response as simply their body’s way of “helping [them] rise to the challenge,” then that individual’s physical health improved drastically.

In essence, this means that changing your perspective “could mean the difference between a stress-induced heart attack at age 50, and living well into your 90s.”

As the school year continues, and students keep working through this challenging time, it’s important to remember that sleep and mental well-being are not worth sacrificing.

Changing your perspective on stress can help improve your health. That teachers understand the pressure students feel and that all students--regardless of grade level or academics— feel the strain of remote learning.

10 • FEATURE thefourthestate.net

T

he teenage brain is complex.

Our minds are still developing, making us overly emotional, and changing the way we think. Social interactions, establishing relationships, and having healthy routines are just a few of the many essential things that this pandemic has made complicated for us.

At first, we celebrated the lack of school and the few weeks we got off without worrying, but those weeks turned into many months, and the toll quarantine has taken on our generation is monumental.

Being locked in our homes and learning how to socialize online has driven our society into a depressed state. Being able to interact with people and go to school is now a privilege.

Social media has become our only way to interact with our peers, causing the time students are behind screens to rise even more.

A majority of students have expressed that their poor mental health is, in fact, due to the extreme state our world has been in these past few months. Students have had to adjust to the online learning environment, and it has not been easy.

Learning how to learn online has been a struggle for all students. The overload on assignments and the sleepless nights are even more challenging for students to cope with because of the constant use of screens.

Not only have we had to adjust to the social aspects of the pandemic, but we have also had to adjust to the world of classrooms online. The shift affects each person differently, but overall the adjustments have fed to the downfall of our generation’s mental health.

WORDS by ELLI WESTMACOTT ART by TAYLOR SMITH

Students have struggled with staying focused while attending their classes. “As far as staying motivated – I have no tips.

I can’t sit still for more than 20 minutes, and I don’t process anything via Zoom” (Student 23’).

Zoom fatigue is a common side effect of online classes, causing students to feel drained and tired after classes.

An article published by the Harvard Business Review, “How to Combat Zoom Fatigue,” has shown that taking several breaks between zooms to move around and refresh can quickly help stimulate your mind.

Getting used to online classes is a process, “this is because having to engage in a ‘constant gaze’ makes us uncomfortable — and tired. In person, we can use our peripheral vision to glance out the window or look at others in the room” (Harvard Business Review).

Our generation has been on an endless roller-coaster ride through emotional and social adjustments. We have all grown individually and together, making us stronger than ever. Though the battle continues, we have learned more about life in quarantine than we could have imagined.

thefourthestate.net FEATURE

• 11

Words from a Life Coach A look inside the inner workings of a professional coach who specializes in helping of others and the improvement of life.

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WORDS and ART by CORA VIDES

ho will be there to ask the tough questions?

Who will be there to challenge your thought process in a way that a friend could not?

Do you believe that it’s possible to make a change in your life this very second? Deborah Needham, whose career centers around helping others as a life coach, helps.

Life coaching, or simply “coaching” as Needham refers to it, guides individuals through the complexities of life by offering meetings that are designed to tackle personal questions that the client may have and discuss logical solutions that the client can take.

“A coach’s job is to be a thought-partner to the person that they are coaching” The goal of coaching is to guide the client to the ultimate state of becoming their own coach. This includes asking themselves their own tough questions, relying on no one but themselves.

Having practiced the virtue of self-awareness to assume this position is challenging for its own reasons, but after multiple sessions, the types of questions become not necessarily easier to answer but easier to ask oneself.

Having known little about the inner workings of coaching or the process for coaching sessions, I was curious to find answers.

It was surprising that the preliminary meeting was free of charge and aimed to assess if the coach and client liked each other enough to continue. “We find out if the issues that the client wants to work

on are things that I’m good at working with people on,” Needham said.

Typically, the types of clients she takes in are people who are in leadership positions at work.

Needham described a handful of people she had met during her career. The first person was a CEO of a non-profit organization that struggled with managing his anger.

His board of directors suggested that he seek out a professional to point him in the right direction.

At first, Needham was unsure about the case but soon discovered a connection between the two of them when she found out they both used to be paramedics. As they worked together, she uncovered the root of the man’s problem: the direction of the board of directors was not aligned with the man’s personal goals as an individual.

And so, with her help, he left his job. This resulted in liberation and a new clarity for his life because he learned to identify the underlying problems that were holding him back.

Although focused on coaching adults, Needham offered a few points of universal advice that can be applied to anyone who could use a word from a professional like herself.

She explained a rich metaphor, comparing life to the crossing of a creek full of stepping stones at night. “Imagine that you are crossing a creek at night and there’s very little light and you can just barely make out the rocks in this creek...

thefourthestate.net FEATURE

• 13

“If you try and wait until you can see the entire path across you’re never going to take the first step.”

This imagery puts into perspective the daunting uncertainty that is life. It is something that we must accept in order to be courageous enough to jump onto the first stone.

Even when we are afraid, knowing that we must take the first step is half the battle.

The Politics of Climate Change Voters care about climate change, but how does our political system deal with the issue when money and special interests groups stand in the way of substantial policy action?

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imate change is an existential threat to our generation. We must drastically reduce carbon emissions by 2030, or we face the runaway effects of global warming, including rising sea levels, more droughts, floods, hurricanes, fires, and marine dieoffs, in addition to the human tolls like destabilization and hundreds of millions of climate refugees.

NASA predicts that almost every part of the U.S. is going to experience the effects of global warming. Still, there is already clear evidence that the world is already experiencing the impacts of climate change.

In California, we are watching as our fire seasons grow longer, and each disaster

WORDS by LUCA D’AGRUMA ART by CLAIRE TOLLES

hits harder. In the southeast U.S., hurricanes grow in strength and frequency.

In Africa and Asia, floods are increasing, leading to mass migrations.

Unfortunately, these are just early symptoms of the larger issue. We know that climate change isn’t just going away, so why hasn’t anything meaningful been done about it?

It’s a hard question to answer. Polls show that a significant, non-partisan majority of the American adult population thinks climate change is a serious problem and want more extensive efforts to fight it.

Millennials and Gen-Z invest more in climate change, with 80 percent affirming it is a significant threat to human life

on Earth.

Young people overwhelmingly believe in climate change, and even though we might have different ideas on how to fight it, we believe that action must be taken.

So why have our politicians ignored the issue when it is shown that voters care about the problem?

The crux of the matter is that since the issue has no short term benefit and the harm of inaction only affects the future, both parties haven’t invested in meaningful change.

Most republicans refuse to acknowledge the issue’s significance and don’t feel any political pressure from their constituencies.

Instead, they get millions from oil and gas companies who lobby against climate policy.

In comparison, democrats are more focused on climate change but refuse to commit seriously to substantial policy due to their fears of losing key moderate voters.

Partisan voters in both parties won’t flip because of climate policy, so most politicians don’t see the upside of prioritizing climate change.

Besides, our political system is shaped and run in a way that discourages “radical” change.

In particular, the Senate, as an institution, prevents rapid, democratic transition. It is also inherently undemocratic— it was founded in order to avoid more populous states from having too much power—and heavily slanted towards Republicans.

Furthermore, people who want climate policy disproportionately reside in “blue” states.

Swing states and “red” states have much more fossil fuel industry and workers, who, of course, don’t want to lose their jobs.

There are real electoral concerns of adopting strong climate policy, so politicians consistently fail to take the risk.

This caused democrats to focus on the Paris Climate Agreement, instead of more radical proposals.

The Paris Agreement is a moderate climate agreement that created emissions targets for countries so that the world could hold climate change under 2 C.

Unfortunately, it was almost obsolete the minute it was signed.

According to the organization Climate Action Tracker, even if countries adhered to their goals under the Paris agreement, global warming would increase by 3.2 C. Even with its evident failings, the climate debate for much of the last five years has focused around it. Democrats campaigned for the agreement and Republicans against it.

However, it is essentially a false choice.

The agreement does not go nearly far enough to take on the scale of the issue.

We need a drastic change, whether through a Green New Deal, a sweeping piece of climate legislation supported by progressives, or other proposals proposed by moderates.

Nonetheless, it is essential to remember that the ideological battle cannot be waged over the existence of the issue itself, nor how far we must go, just how we get there.

Our generation understands the need for climate action. The global climate movement is only growing stronger and more organized, with extensive pressure to be placed on those in power.

The Youth Climate Strike organized millions of young people worldwide to take action on climate change in 2019.

Groups like the Sunrise Movement have influenced democrats and pushed them to adopt better proposals.

Progressives have primaried pro-fossil fuel politicians across the country.

Senator Ed Markey’s surprise win in his primary this year was delivered

from support from climate activists and young people.

Politicians are listening. After many resounding victories from progressive candidates, incumbent Democrats moved to adopt more robust legislation.

The Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force emerged after the presidential primary and united the two ideological elements of the Democratic party to compromise.

In negotiations, progressives succeeded in pushing Biden’s team into adopting substantial parts of the Green New Deal framework and a model for rapid decarbonization and investment.

We have a long way to go, but the fight for a livable future has already made meaningful progress in a hostile political climate under Trump.

This article will be printed after the November election is decided. Whatever the outcome is, young progressives and conservatives who believe in science must organize to vote out politicians representing an age of inaction and failures.

The fight for a cleaner future won’t be easy, but we have already seen the successes of a movement more extensive and more organized than in the past.

There is only one path forward for climate activists and our generation. We must organize and threaten the only thing politicians care about: their reelection.

It is clear our country desperately needs leadership on this issue, and we are the generation that understands we must step up to the challenge.

The U.S. Climate Movement by the Numbers

14 • OPINION thefourthestate.net

Climate Strike

People Power

Government Reach

The global climate strike mobilized approximately 4 million people worldwide, with 2,500 events in over 163 countries. It was widely used as evidence of the strength of the climate movement. The climate strike demonstrated the will of people and emboldened politicians to act.

The political power of the climate is powered by activists and organizers.

The Sunrise Movement and other organizations are powered by tens of thousands of activists who contacted 3.5 million young voters, including 400K in Pennsylvania, 330K in Michigan, 150K in Wisconsin, and 130K in Arizona.

The climate movement has grown it’s power inside our federal government.

Victorious progressive primary challengers will increase Green New Deal support in the House to more than 101 Cosponsors. In the Senate, there are 14 Cosponsors. Biden has promised to try to pass his 2 trillion plan if he wins.

thefourthestate.net OPINION

• 15

Heteronirmativity has been and is still a prevalent ideology in our society that plays a very big part in how we’re seen as people, our roles and how we’re treated based on these expectations. But, we need to realize the harmful effects of this way of thinking on our peers.

T

oday, we recognize some genders are not exclusively male or female. There are people somewhere in between, a mixture of both, or outside of the traditional binary system.

Nonbinary means there are other possibilities for people to identify as

outside of the binary gender spectrum.

It is the opposite of heteronormativity.

Gender is how you perceive yourself.

It may be different from the sex you were born with.

Alienation and judgment from others affect people negatively. When society

creates a heteronormative gendered box, anyone outside of the box is abnormal. It can be detrimental to them and put them at risk for depression and suicide.

For students, this type of viewpoint can affect the atmosphere on campus and in the classroom. LGBTQ students should be accepted, and their gender and orientations normalized. People are who they are, and each person is unique and different. There is no need for a rigid gender box that ultimately separates us since we are born equal human beings.

Adding LGBTQ normalcy in the curriculum and on-campus would lower the detrimental effects of heteronormativity and be inclusive for all students.

The Southern Poverty Law Center states, “Creating an LGBTQ-inclusive classroom culture begins with a readiness to answer questions or facilitate an appropriate conversation around LGBTQ issues.”

Being willing to learn and use necessary terms and vocabulary is crucial for understanding. Administrators and educators’ messages

16 • OPINION thefourthestate.net

directly affect the community at school.

It is essential to feel comfortable, safe, and understood in your learning environment. “So much of our country’s history revolves around continuous discrimination against so many different identities, and I feel it is my responsibility to truly emphasize how we need to live in a culture of equality, love, peace, and truly respecting our fellow humans,” Humanities instructor Drew Zailik said.

Laguna Blanca is making it a priority to understand and normalize everyone.

“We have to be willing to examine how structures in place now may be built on underlying principles or assumptions that are not truly inclusive,” Head of School Rob Hereford said.

DEI coordinator Ursula Chan heads the DEI task force whose mission is to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure inclusivity.

She believes that “implementing histories of gender expression, gay liberation, and focusing on LGBTQIA+ issues would better inform our students, and make our students who are part of that community feel represented in their education.”

“Of course, this does not have to stop at histories; we can engage with fictional stories that have meaningful queer representation,” Chan said.

The most respectful thing you can do is ask what pronouns another person uses. That’s how we can correctly gender people and avoid giving them dysphoria or making them uncomfortable.

You can say, “Hi there, I use they/ them or he/him or she/her pronouns.”

While this may sound odd since it’s not yet widely accepted, it’s a common courtesy that hopefully more people will accept and use because it validates identities.

Adding pronouns normalizes things rather than making it a big deal.

Making an effort to ask for pronouns positively impacts connections and makes everyone feel good that they are being considered and seen.

Drama director Dana Caldwell and social science teacher Al Silva added their

pronouns to their Zoom names. It’s akin to asking, “My name is Audrey. What’s your name?”

Sky Límon from Santa Barbara Pacific Pride adds, “We live in a binary world where being cis and heterosexual is normal.”

There are automatic binary gender standards with clothing and dress.

Dress codes for special events like prom, special events, and graduation are very gendered in what students are “allowed” to wear.

For example, last year, girls were supposed to wear dresses, and boys were supposed to wear blazers or suits at the eighth-grade graduation.

While this is a traditional way of dressing for formal graduations., it can be restrictive. A gender-inclusive dress code is a good policy for everyone to embrace.

Today, we are embracing changes across the country regarding gender expression and the acceptance of the LGBTQ community.

“As I think about it, there is probably language I fall back on when talking about families that is not as inclusive as it should be,” Hereford said.

You can choose to be an ally at any time.

“We live in a binary world where being cis and heterosexual is normal.”

Another way to normalize the environment is to create a safe space for students to be themselves.

Having some LGBTQ content in the lesson/curriculum, supporting PRIDE week, discussing LGBTQ issues, and having teachers and students introduce themselves using their pronouns would reassure non-binary and trans students.

For LGBTQ students, something like a dress code at school can be troubling.

WORDS by LYLA BOLLAG ART by OLIVIA DAVENPORT

thefourthestate.net OPINION

• 17

stance of the staff editorial voices from the staff: the struggles of being high school students in a global pandemic A schedule of screen meetings. A feeling of monotony, of exhaustion, of anxiety. A drowning instinct.

We all struggled to keep our heads above water the past few months with the weight of school and a global pandemic pressing down on our backs.

Add in an election that had even the sanest of us on the edge of our seats. One thing is apparent: simply surviving this year is something that every one of us can take pride in now.

Worry is no longer something that we are told to let go of. Anxiety is no longer a rarity.

Mental health problems are more common than ever, and much of that is reflected in young students’ struggle.

When we tried to think of a theme for this issue to encapsulate our community and our staff’s emotions, it became apparent that attempting to put a label on it was close to impossible. Instead, we went for a metaphor — the metaphor of trying to keep our heads above the water.

This concept seemed like something straightforward, a phrase that was tossed around; now, we all can somewhat relate to the idea that merely making it through the day is much harder than any of us had bargained for.

We are back on campus. Life no longer is about living vicariously through a small computer screen, but with this positive change came so many more battles; each one of us had to face.

Exhaustion from making the transition into classes over an hour hits us the moment when we get home from school, and maintaining a distance of over six feet from people we have known for years is more challenging than we ever imagined it to be.

We are still in a pandemic, and our troubles are smaller relative to others’ concerns, but that doesn’t invalidate our experiences.

Getting through the day is something to hold pride in, and by keeping our heads from falling beneath the surface, we are succeeding in more than just surviving ... we’re staying afloat.

18 • OPINION thefourthestate.net

thefourthestate.net OPINION

• 19

Athletes’ Roles in Politics

T

An increasingly common trend in the world of sports in recent years has been professional athletes speaking out on political and social justice issues, prompting varied mixed reactions from sports fans.

hroughout sports history, many professional athletes have spoken up about their political views and standpoints. Many people support these players’ decisions to fight for what they believe in, but some feel that politics is a subject that athletes should stay away from.

On Aug. 30, 2010, a well-known baseball player named Albert Pujols attended the Restoring Honor rally held in Washington, D.C. Pujols participated in this rally against Arizona’s anti-immigrant racial profiling law SB 1070.

Many people supported Pujols’ decision to speak up, but many didn’t. One such dissenter, a well-known political commentator, and radio host Glenn Beck said [the protest was[ “an open dishonor to Dr. King,” since it was the same day and location of Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Another professional athlete who has spoken up and done incredible things for the sports industry would be Jackie Robinson. Robinson was the first African-American athlete to play in the MLB, and he broke the color barrier in sports.

Today, many well-known athletes express their views on race and politics.

In the preseason of the NFL’s 2016 season, 49er’s quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem to speak up against racial injustice and to protest racial inequality and police brutality.

The NBA has also played a considerable role in the fight for justice and has worked with the Black Lives Matter movement to spread awareness.

The NBA recently allowed players to put a word on the back of their jerseys that resembles the fight for racial justice. Today, many athletes are calling out racial injustices.

Professional athletes play a significant role in the political world and influence many people. They have a platform to reach thousands of people and therefore cause change.

“To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.”

“To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way,” Kaepernick said.

Many people saw this as extremely disrespectful, but others stood with Kaepernick in his choice to speak up against racial injustice.

This act quickly became a movement in the NFL, and many players felt inspired to speak up against all racial injustices.

20 • OPINION thefourthestate.net

WORDS by CARSON BOHNET ART by NIKKI MIELCAREK

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Do Friends Need to Agree About Politics?

In this time of uncertainty, friends are more important than ever, but with current political events, is it possible to be friends with those who disagree with your political views?

P

eople often break up friendships over political issues, which can be for various reasons, from disagreements on guns to racism. It begs the question, since it’s so common, can people have different politics and still be friends?

Furthermore, do friends have to share politically similar views, or can they become friends while politically different?

If they are friends, can they even talk about politics?

We set out to answer these questions and prove that people can bridge the gap between politics and still be friends.

In these times of political polarization, it can seem extremely difficult to be friends with a republican or democrat depending on your political beliefs.

WORDS by MYLES HAZEN ART by CLAIRE TOLLES

However, two fellow students have bridged an even more significant gap.

Evan and Rory are very close friends even though Evan is an anarcho-capitalist, and Rory is an authoritarian communist.

When they first met in seventh grade, they competed in various math competitions together, which allowed them to bond. Back then, they didn’t talk about politics, they were more focused on math and the odd game they played together.

We asked: How has your relationship changed as your political views changed?

“If there is a difference, it’s only been positive,” Evan said.

“I totally agree… oh wait, I’m not supposed to agree, the opposite of what he said,” Rory said.

Even though politics characterize their interactions, they are still capable of having fun together and joking around.

Since COVID, all of Evan and Rory’s interactions occur online through a political discord server, they run. They always debate politics, yet they are still best friends.

We talked to them about how debate has affected their relationship, and they both just said it brought them closer together.

“That might have happened anyway if we were to join a discord server that was about something that wasn’t politics,” Rory added.

While politics doesn’t have to be a link in a friendship, it can bring people together even though they argue.

We asked them about their debates, “I think it helps that we were friends before we talked about politics a lot,” Rory said.

This brings us back to one of the questions brought up earlier. Do friendships have to start politically similar, or can friendships develop with people who are politically different?

22 • OPINION thefourthestate.net

One thing to mention is that Rory and Evan were friends before they radicalized. Perhaps this made it easier for them to maintain their friendship.

Would this be possible with those where two people start from politically different places?

Talking about politics could potentially alienate one of the people in the friendship and ruin it.

We asked Rory and Evan this question to see if they could help us find an answer.

“I think it’s totally possible… I think it helps that we are dissidents and don’t agree with anyone around us, and we are both very much pro debate… if you have an open mind, you can be a friend with everyone,” Evan said.

Rory agreed. “If Evan and I had met now, we could still get along. We’d just have to not talk about politics until after we had already become friends.”

While Evan brought a reasonably straightforward answer to the question, Rory’s response is a bit more puzzling.

Is it possible to start a friendship by talking about politics?

Evan and Rory make clear that it is possible to be friends even if you disagree on everything.

They prove that friends can have different opinions.

However, some things remain vague.

For example, it is harder to say whether friends can start off talking about politics when they disagree and continue forming friendships.

Some people are sensitive about some issues, such as recognizing Koso-

“If you have an open mind, you can be a friend with everyone”

mind could be friends with each other, but it’s important to note that not everyone is open-minded.

The same would have to be true about people who can’t talk about politics with their friends.

The bottom line is that if you are open-minded, you can be friends with anyone, no matter their politics if you both share being open-minded.

However, not everyone is open-minded enough to be friends with someone with a different opinion.

vo, supporting Palestine or the Armenian genocide.

Rory acknowledges this when he spoke about some of his friendships.

He spoke about a Ukrainian friend and said that he wouldn’t talk about his opinions on the annexation of Crimea with that friend.

Evan summed the idea of sensitivity up when he said anyone with an open

thefourthestate.net OPINION

• 23

It’s an institution that high schoolers base their entire futures upon, put all their trust in, but should they have blind faith in a system that is, in more ways than one, corrupt?

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he recipe for a stressful senior year is a delicate balance of AP classes, applications, and, everyone’s favorite test: the SAT. As students, we knew from the beginning a simple truth: at some point in the last two years of high school, we will have to take a massive test that will determine our entire future in college.

The score we receive will dictate whether or not we have a chance of getting into our dream schools or whether we should adjust our plans because we “aren’t good enough.”

It is a system that places immeasurable pressure on already stressed students and often doesn’t even show the test-taker’s competence, as standardized tests like these are much more challenging for those with information-processing issues.

So, if it is terrible for the students’ mental health and doesn’t give colleges accurate information about an applicant’s skills, who exactly has been benefiting from this antiquated system?

The answer is the same as the answer to the question of who is administering these tests? The College Board.

The College Board, established in 1900, claims to be “dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education,” or at least that is what their mission statement on their website says.

But are they promoting excellence as they push memorization over understanding by feeding three hours worth of knowledge-based questions to the test taker?

Are they promoting equity as they

virtually ignore those with processing disorders and administer tests that often take advantage of those without resources like tutors or study guides?

The College Board assists over seven million students each year with the college process, doing things like administering the SAT, giving AP exams in May, and assisting in college planning.

Each of the services they offer cost money, and although they do permit fee waivers to be given by the school to those who can not afford the SAT, this is not the only fee that the College Board requires.

Well, it’s a hard question to answer.

They don’t necessarily lie when claiming that they aren’t for-profit, but it takes research to discover where the money they get goes: to a surplus account, where the money sits.

Some of it does go to paying those in charge of the college board, with the head of the College Board making $1.3 million in 2009, which was a higher paycheck than the president of Harvard.

Exactly how much money does the College Board have?

Well, prepare yourself for this number. In 2018, according to the “Total Registration” website, the College Board had a total of $1,152,226,448.

That is over a billion dollars, all from extorting soon-to-be college students.

It is not far fetched to bring up the concept of corruption in the discussion surrounding college-based organizations.

What was once seen as a tool to help students along their path towards admission has collapsed into something much more elitist, much more focused on charging students money that they may not have.

Recently, the College Board’s role in the lives of students has been called into question.

When the COVID-19 virus hit the U.S. harder than anyone could have foreseen, everything was turned upside down before spring break had ended.

What was meant to be few-week-long breaks turned into virtual graduations and massive influxes in college deals and enrollments.

The LA Times reported that twothirds of high school students show up to online zoom classes, not counting the completely checked out teens. With the pandemic and subsequent unrest, school systems tried to maintain normalcy by encouraging students to continue to study for their standardized tests.

But were they doing it for the students or for the benefit of the corrupt system they are backing?

With not much regard that the tests are a financial burden and not wanting to lose millions of dollars in fees, the College Board announced in late March amid the peak of the virus outburst that Advanced Placement tests would take place online.

Over 4.6 million exams were taken online, making you realize the toll the absence of tests would take on the College Board and their funding.

The planning and execution of athome testing were sub-par at best as thousands of students dealt with the repercussions of technological issues with no help from the College Board, who told them they could retake the test in a couple of weeks.

Instead of celebrating the end of AP courses, students who experienced issues out of their control had to continue studying for more weeks.

Whereas previous AP exams were predictable, and teachers could give a myriad of helpful tips and strategies, the 2020 exams presented uncharted territory.

It was as if the College Board was trying to appear gracious by cutting down the test content length but then stabbed the students in the back with an extremely short period to complete the test.

While they advertised as aiding the test takers with the open note policy, it was unrealistic that any student would be able to look at their notes, understand and brainstorm the prompt, create a well thought out essay and execute it to the AP standards.

From all that is known about the College Board’s history, it’s looking less and less like a non-profit for students and more like a self-serving institution.

WORDS by PHOEBE STEIN and DAISY FINEFROCK ART by PHOEBE STEIN

It is a system that places immeasurable pressure on already stressed students, and often doesn’t even show the competence of the test-taker.

Each AP test costs 93 dollars each, with that value shooting up to 123 dollars in other countries.

Even scholarship applications offered through the College Board cost money, which is extremely counterproductive but is just one more aspect of the College Board’s extortion system.

When one adds SAT tutoring to this total, which most students consider to be necessary to be on a level playing field with other applicants, the whole process can be wildly expensive.

So, the next question is, why does the College Board, which isn’t for-profit, charge so much for these tests and programs?

24 • OPINION thefourthestate.net

WORDS by PHOEBE STEIN & DAISY FINEFROCK ART by PHOEBE STEIN thefourthestate.net OPINION

• 25

Binge-Worthy Shows to Watch in Quarantine With so much time during quarantine, people have been binge-watching TV shows and movies. Here’s a guide to some of the popular shows of different genres that are good for ages.

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WORDS and ART by NIKKI MIELCAREK

Set in 1980s Hawkins, Indiana, “Stranger Things” continues to be a cult classic since its first released in 2016. The show follows a young boy named Will Byers who mysteriously goes missing along with a strange girl; the two were found by Will’s three best friends.

As the police search for answers, the people of the town reveal extraordinary creatures, government secrets, and a girl with psycho-kinetic abilities.

The series currently has three seasons with a fourth on the way. Sadly, like many other shows, the new season’s release and filming were postponed due to the pandemic.

“From the diverse character to the thrilling plot, it is easily one of my favorite shows to binge,” freshman Grace Trautwein said.

he world of “Avatar” is divided into four nations: water, fire, earth, and air. Benders are people that are able to manipulate these four elements. The Avatar is the only person able to bend all the elements but mysteriously disappears causing the evil fire nation to take over.

A century later Aang, the Avatar, is found by Katara, a water bender, and her brother Sokka. To defeat the ruthless fire nation they must travel the world to teach Aang how to bend the four elements and save the world.

Recently, “Avatar the Last Airbender” was added to the popular streaming service, Netflix. This show is for all ages. It’s a great show to sit back and watch with your family.

Set in the world of “Star Wars” the title character, the Mandalorian is a bounty hunter who comes from a race of warriors that are enemies to Jedi.

When the Mandolorian is sent out to scope out a target, he discovers that his target is a baby of the same species as Jedi Master, Yoda, from the “Star Wars” films.

As the series progresses, the Mandalorian and as fans call him, “baby Yoda,” are faced with other challenges. The mix of action and adventure make this a binge-worthy watch.

The “Umbrella Academy” begins when 43 children are born with supernatural abilities. Seven are adopted by a man named Reginald Hargreeves who creates The Umbrella Academy.

The academy is a place for these mysterious and powerful children to train and eventually save the world.

Years later, Number Five, one of the Seven adopted children, suddenly returns from being missing for years. Number Five developed a time-traveling ability that he uses to warn his siblings. He explains that the world will end in five days and his siblings are the only ones who can stop it.

“The Umbrella Academy” launched a new season in July, following the success of a wildly popular first season. With its incredible visuals and mysterious secrets makes this a show you don’t want to miss.

26 • LIFESTYLE thefourthestate.net

“Parks and Recreation” revolves around Leslie Knope, the deputy director of Pawnee, Indiana who hopes to make her community a better place by turning an abandoned construction site into a community park.

From what seems a simple job comes unexpected challenges such as selfish neighbors and government red-tape.

The show entertains watchers with a mix of sarcasm, satire and humor, making it a must-watch for many.

“It’s a perfect blend of comedy and the plot allows you to fall in love with all the characters,” freshman Sasha Drucker said. thefourthestate.net LIFESTYLE

• 27

Conditioning in Covid Introducing LagunaTrain a solution to promote student fitness. With students not having an opportunity to work on fitness and conditioning during the quarantine, Laguna’s athletic staff organized a Covid-safe way for students to workout and have an opportunity to see their friends.

The highly contagious Coronavirus, has heavily impacted the film industry. Movie theaters have struggled after forced closures and reductions in maximum capacity, leaving the future of cinema up in the air.

A

s the U.S. economy slowly returns to normal after one of the worst recessions of all time, one industry may be forever changed- the entertainment industry and cinema.

Starting in March, Covid-19 restrictions forced closures in major markets and hurt theater chain’s pockets.

Constant delays in production have plagued many films, and studios are reluctant to release their movies.

They expect a low turnout and a disappointing box office revenue due to the Coronavirus.

However, these problems have opened the door to unexpected alternatives.

In the past, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu developed and produced original movies for their subscribers. Now, some major studios have begun to turn to online releases for their feature films.

Disney released “Mulan” to its Disney+ subscribers for the hefty price of $30, and Amazon recently acquired the distribution rights to the upcoming “Borat” sequel for Prime Video subscribers.

Currently, studios are testing the waters with online releases, and most plan

to release future movies in theaters.

Disney has declared themselves “pleased” with the early numbers from their “Mulan” release.

Despite these successes, Covid-19 could be the final blow to movie theaters as we know them. AMC, the largest movie theater chain in the U.S., barely avoided bankruptcy in July, while the second-largest chain, Regal, will temporarily close all locations “until further

on a $200 million budget but flopped domestically with revenue coming in at less than $30 million.

It did not even approach the amounts that his previous films grossed, which has caused a ripple effect and has pushed other movie releases back.

Some of the losses can be attributed to the forced closure of theaters in major markets like California, and we still don’t know when they will be able to open at full capacity again, if ever.

As theaters start to reopen, some are worried about the risk of going indoors for an extended period.

“Why would I take an unnecessary risk to compromise the health family,” junior Oliver Bates said.

Ultimately, nothing is certain. We can only speculate about what studios and theater chains will do or what will happen to them. All that we can do is live our lives to the fullest and take the necessary precautions, and if that means that cinema will be forever changed, so be it.

“Why would I take an unnecessary risk to compromise the health of my family?” notice” in response to the delayed release of the new “James Bond” movie.

The mass delays in the production of new movies have reduced the catalog of theaters, further hurting their chances of survival.

The most notable recent release, the Christopher Nolan film “Tenet,” has made roughly $207 million worldwide

WORDS by ALEX BATES ART by CORA VIDES and CLAIRE TOLLES

28 • LIFESTYLE thefourthestate.net

Are you doing anything to prepare for a sport season?

No - 29.5%

Yes - 70.5%

What are you doing to stay fit?

S

WORDS and ART by ANDREAS JACKSON

chool competitions are currently pushed back until December 2020 or January 2021. Many spring sport athletes’ seasons were cut short last school year and may lose their seasons this fall again.

Without school sports, some students have lost their primary source of exercise. To help students stay in shape, Laguna has started an after school fitness program: LagunaTrain.

“We felt it was a good opportunity to get our students out exercising with each other in a safe, socially distanced environment,” Athletic Director Jason Donnelly said.

According to senior Finn Walker, student body president, “The initial idea about the LagunaTrain program was for kids to come out during quarantine and exercise together. It was both for training and allowing kids to come and interact with their classmates. We would meet one to two times a week from 3:30 to 5:00 and do various activities, including core, legs, and some arm workouts.

The program spreads out the grades into different days to minimize the size of groups. The plan was the prelude to the sports program and a test to see how well we could interact with each other/workout while following all COVID-19 protocols.

Students were assigned an 8x8 foot box to do their workout. This spacing allowed social distancing between students, which meant we didn’t have to wear a mask while working out.

I thought it was an excellent idea and a good cardio workout during the day. I also got to see Laguna students that I hadn’t seen while in quarantine, which was nice.

Most students I talked to about it loved the program and wished it was continuing, but, as other sports open up, the Laguna Train program is shutting down.”

LagunaTrain provides fitness and cardio for Laguna athletes. It is a striking example that group fitness can be done safely if all of the rules are followed.

LagunaTrain - 13.6% Nothing - 9.1% Running - 6.8% Other - 40.9% Weight Training - 29.5%

Are you not participating in a school sport because of Covid-19?

Yes - 31.8%

No - 68.2%

How often do you run?

What’s running? - 20.5%

Once a day - 27.3%

Once a month - 6.8% Twice a month - 9.1%

Once a week - 36.4%

Results from an anonymous school-wide poll with 44 responses.

thefourthestate.net LIFESTYLE

• 29

The Rise of “Harry Potter”...

Again

The 1990s and early 2000s led “Harry Potter” into the spotlight. The acclaimed series garnered a massive cult-like following which lasted throughout the years since its release. Just as it seemed the hype around the series was losing popularity, with the help of Tik Tok and an older audience, the series returned to the limelight.

H

WORDS by DARE FITZPATRICK and HANNA MASRi ART by OLIVIA DAVENPORT

arry Potter is a name that we all know and love. The books are the single most popular series of all time and the movie franchise is among some of the most well-known in the world.

Whether you loved “Harry Potter” as a child, or are just starting to get into it now, you’re in luck, because the series is making a huge comeback among new fans, and old.

Part of the reason the series is making a comeback is due to some of the deeper themes and meanings in the story.

If you were a “Harry Potter” fan as a child, you may not have picked up on some of the deeper meanings of the stories that are now more visible as young adults.

The characters and plots get more complex over the course of the seven books and eight movies.

Some characters that readers must have hated as a kid, might be cast in a different light as the deeper themes are revealed and the audience matures.

One character, in particular, Draco Malfoy, has been very popular on TikTok for this very reason. In the books, some fans claim, he was misunderstood and never given a fair chance.

“Draco’s story is actually very sad when you look back and think about it.

He was never given a choice to take the good path.

He was written to be such an evil character when he could never be anything else. That’s why so many on TikTok are making videos to rewrite his story,” junior Phoebe Ray said.

In fact, there is a trending hashtag on the app, #dracotok, which has over 3.2 billion views.

The videos under the hashtag range from point of view style videos, meant to rope the viewer into the story of the video, to homages to the Wizarding World in general.

As readers have grown from child to young adult, and the lines between good and bad begin to blur, Draco’s role in the series has shifted from being one of

the main antagonists to a very deep and complex character.

An older audience can read into why Draco is the way he is and why he does what he does.

Draco was just a kid, influenced by his parents and Voldemort. From a young age, his childhood sculpted him into the person he is.

The way his parents raised him and the people his parents were had an impact on Draco.

As shown in the later books and movies, Draco starts to grow up and see the world. He starts to have opinions and ideas about which ‘side’ is right and

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wrong — namely if being on Voldemort’s ‘side’ is right.

He breaks away from the ideas of his parents and, as shown, has internal conflicts with himself about morality and right and wrong. It is this deeper meaning of his character that appeals to an older audience.

An older audience may be able to resonate with what Draco went through, as many are beginning to break away from the ideas of their parents in the teenage years. These themes went unnoticed by the younger generation but come to light as an older, more perceptive generation starts to watch the movies and/ or read the books.

However, Draco was not always everyone’s favorite antagonist. Junior Ava Rice was a loyal “Harry Potter” fan as a young child, looking back on her time watching the movies and reading the books she recalls, “I never liked Draco—nobody did. I always thought of him and some of his friends in his house as annoying.”

The “house” that name refers to is one of four in the “Harry Potter” world.

In the series, Slytherin is portrayed as the house of bullies, but looking back, it seems to many that Slytherins were misunderstood.

As this generation has grown older, many people have shifted their views and opinions on the house.

As young children, it seems as if many people desired to be a part of the famous Gryffindor rather than the other three. As appreciation and recognition for the other houses have grown, so has a desire to be placed in them.

“I always wanted to be in Gryffindor as a kid since all of the protagonists seemed to be in that house. No one, including myself, wanted to be in Slytherin since that was the house with literally all the bad people. Now, I am more open to the idea of being in a different house,” junior Noah Kamps said.

Looking back at the series, an older, more mature generation is seeing the true colors of the books—for better and worse. “Harry Potter” fans have shifted views on the author of the series, J.K. Rowling after she faced some controversy in recent months. Rowling

continuously posts and reposts tweets that followers believe to be transphobic.

One read, “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.”

This angered many fans, including junior Lily Connor who said, “I love the

ferentiate Hermione from these gender stereotypes as well as see the similarities between Chang and the stereotypes of Asian women in society.

There are many ways to interpret these books as a young adult rather than as a child.

Did Rowling purposefully put deeper meanings in her work that “Harry Potter” fans were supposed to look back on later in life?

Or are those in the fandom creating different fantasies for themselves?

Either way, “Harry Potter” has, since its release, been a classic in American pop-culture, and may continue to be for a very long time.

The deeper meanings of the novels and characters allow readers to grow up with the books and appreciate them all throughout their childhood, teens, and adult life.

“I never liked Draco—nobody did. I always thought of him and some of his friends in his house as annoying.”

‘Harry Potter’ series and have since I was a kid, but since learning about the hate that J.K. Rowling is spreading, I’m reluctant to support the series.

Some people who haven’t read the books and are more involved in the TikTok ‘hype’ surrounding the series don’t even know who J.K. is and why she’s problematic.”

Another point of interest that has been critiqued in Rowling’s writing is that her books lack diversity, in terms of race, sexual orientation, etc.

The characters she portrays as not British or white have stereotypical personalities and characteristics.

Ravenclaw Cho Chang was often portrayed as the stereotypical ‘smart’ Asian character.

Rowling again shows biases, this time regarding gender-stereotypes, with the main female protagonist, Hermione Granger. Hermione’s character is known for being smart, but annoying; successful, but bossy.

In society, women who exhibit the same ambitious traits as men are thought of in a much more negative light.

Women are less assertive, than men, and bossier. Men with these same success-driven attributes would be praised for the traits.

It is these stereotypes and themes that an older, more mature generation can detect compared to when they first read the books as a youth.

Readers can look at the novels and dif-

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Playing in a Pandemic

Alternative Fashion’s Move to Mainstream Alternative fashion’s popularity has increased due to social media platforms, influencers and trends, giving mainstream fashion a run for its money.

T

WORDS by CIERRA NERVO ART by OLIVIA DAVENPORT

he norm of wearing mainstream clothes isn’t considSocial media users find inspiration for their fashion choices ered as “normal” anymore. In recent years, alternafrom the popular icons on TikTok and the resulting in the ‘alt’ tive fashion has become increasingly popular. community’s widespread popularity.

Society has always tried to control people’s Xowie Jones, a lip-sync and comedy content fashion choices, but as more social media increator known for posting videos in which she fluencers believe in expressing personality lip-syncs to Beach Bunny songs while wearing through appearance, the alternative fashion corsets, spiky accessories, and dark/bloody community has been growing. makeup believes that ‘alt’ TikTok is an entirely Ever since social media like TikTok started different community than other social media. inspiring young generations to try unique and “I was getting tired of just posting photos ‘alt’ styles, it has become normal to see goths/ of my outfits on other apps. TikTok gave me a emos in public. way to show myself and my style more creativeMainstream fashion is what people call basic ly. It took a while to get comfortable posting clothing—a pair of skinny jeans, a blouse and the content I really like making, well-thoughtsneakers—a so-called’ norm’ outfit. out, and sometimes gory, but I’m pretty much But mainstream fashion is moving out of over the judgment of being a little different,” the spotlight to make way for alternative Xowie said in an interview with Vogue. fashion. ‘Alt’ fashion is fashion that stands The alt community is everywhere; a few apart from the mainstream. Alt fashion instudents say that social media, specifically volves many subcultures, containing styles TikTok, has inspired their styles to be more such as emo, goth, cyberpunk, kinderwhore, ‘out of the box.’ grunge, etc.

“There’s a lot of fashion influence on soBoys are wearing skirts, chokers, and cial media that is outlandish and fun,” Cora black lipstick; girls wearing thigh-high Vides said. “It makes me want to look for boots, fishnet leggings, and neon-dyed unusual clothing, especially in thrift stores! hair. These are just a few examples of alt I definitely bought into the ‘chunky shoes’ style. trend.”

Alt styles are known for ignoring sociWhen referring to TikTok influencing her ety’s norms, as early as 1985 and 1995, during style, she said, “Tik Tok has some influence but the rock era. The styles that started in the not exclusively, since fashion is present on all rock era did not become very popular until social media platforms. All in all, social media major social media platforms began to notice provides cool ideas that stay in my mind for these styles and genres. when I’m looking for something to wear or buy.”

The alt community is getting recognized Junior Phoebe Ray said that she got cernow that more and more people learn what tain aspects of their fashion from TikTok. alternative fashion and its many subcultures “It has so many great fashion tips, ideas, are. and places to shop, so it is very helpful.”

The rise of alt fashion can be attributed The rise of alt fashion’s popularity is the to social media platforms. start of alt styles becoming more ‘normal’ In the past couple of years, social media today. Thanks to social media and their like TikTok have been used by popular influencer’s platforms, people are ‘alt’ influencers who share their style/ starting to learn about these altertrends with their followers. native aesthetics and trends and An example of what an TikTok has its own unofficial side, ‘alt learning how to express them‘alternative’ girl would wear: TikTok,’ an online community filled with selves using their appearance. fishnets, band T-shirt, black people who dress alternatively all over the world. boots and colored hair.

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Whether it be professional, college or high school sports, games and seasons have been canceled or drastically changed due to the Coronavirus.

WORDS by ABBY KIM ART by CORA VIDES and CLAIRE TOLLES

T

he year 2020 has been erratic with the spread of Covid-19 hitting the world which has changed many people’s lives into what is now known as the “new normal.”

Large crowds can no longer gather to watch their favorite teams play due to the Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines.

The pandemic resulted in professional to high school sports shutting down temporarily when it hit America hard in March of this year.

However, sports started to come back in June. Here is the rundown of the Olympics’ return, professional sports, college sports, and Laguna sports.

TOKYO OLYMPICS The much anticipated 2020 summer Olympics, held in Tokyo, Japan, has been postponed until 2021.

The decision was pushed back for a long time since the Olympics is an important international event.

However, the decision to postpone was inevitable, considering the severity of the virus.

Even though no one knows how long Covid-19 will be affecting our lives, the return of professional sports around the world has made the idea of the Olympics returning in 2021 a hopeful reality.

A concern is whether or not spectators may be allowed to the Olympics since people worldwide travel to see the Olympics in person.

Spectators are sources of income that make the Olympics a reality; if there are no spectators, the Olympics may not return by the summer of 2021.

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS UFC

The Ultimate Fighting League, otherwise known as UFC, was the first of the professional sports leagues to return on May 9 with no spectators.

While attempting to make a return in April, the UFC ended up being postponed until May. However, this was still a very early return in the 2020 sports world, and it was due to the unyielding perseverance of the UFC staff and company.

Golf

Next, professional golf made a return on June 11. The most-watched golf event in history was the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, which aired on June 11, proving that golf fans and all sports enthusiasts were excited to see golf come back.

MLS

Professional soccer made its comeback on July 8. Some setbacks Major League Soccer, otherwise known as the MLS, had were the travel restrictions between the U.S. and Canada, which were inconvenient but necessary for people’s health and safety. Overall, many fans are glad that the popular sport was able to make a comeback.

MLB

Major League Baseball made its return on July 23. While at first no crowds were allowed, the MLB was creative when it came to a lack of spectators.

They still let people buy seats in stadiums and, to get the fans involved in games, put cardboard cutouts of the

fans in seats and added cheering sounds.

If the ball hit one of the cardboard cutouts, that fan would be shipped the ball in the mail, adding to fans’ excitement and motivation to buy seats.

Students have expressed their opinion on the return of professional baseball, especially with the World Series. “Go Dodgers,” frIeshman Griffin Rick said.

NBA

The National Basketball Association returned on July 30 and resumed their highly-anticipated finals. The NBA firmly shut down after one player tested positive for Covid-19, which started the trend for other professional leagues to shut down.

However, its return has lifted many fans’ spirits, and the finals resulted in the L.A. Lakers’ victory.

NHL

Professional hockey made its return on October 2, continuing the much-awaited Stanley Cup tournament. Twenty four teams were allowed to return with only 50 staff members per team. The NHL is one of the first major professional leagues to announce its return plans and extensive procedures to ensure the virus would not further spread among the league.

ATP

Professional tennis made its return on Aug. 14, starting with the Citi Open held in Washington D.C., followed by the famous U.S. Open held on Aug. 21.

The prize money for the U.S. Open has been reduced by $850,000 since no fans could attend the matches and fund the award.

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Also, no ball boys or girls are allowed to attend, which is unfortunate since it is an opportunity for young tennis players to see matches up close.

NFL

The National Football League, NFL, made its comeback on Sept. 10, exciting fans all over America. Since football is a high contact sport, it was very uncertain whether it would make a return, however with many precautions put in place such as wearing masks and daily Covid-19 testings, football was able to make its comeback.

Students are excited about the NFL’s comeback. “I love it! I missed watching sports, mostly football, so it’s nice to have that back,” freshman Spencer Hlavaty said.

NCAA

College sports are nationally recognized and watched by people across the country.

The NCAA, or the National College Athletic Association, announced that men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, soccer, women’s volleyball, and men’s water polo would return in the fall and spring.

However, precautions include only filling brackets to 75 percent of their normal capacities.

LAGUNA SPORTS Since many students are part of a sports program or maybe a fan of sports, it is important to get an insight into how they have been affected by the stopping of sports in their community.

Especially since California is one of the most populated states in America, student-athletes have felt the impact of Covid-19 on their ability to play sports.

“I started playing volleyball last year at Laguna, but when Corona happened, I felt really sad and disappointed that we couldn’t play anymore,” sophomore Victoria Goldman said.

For seniors, not being able to play during their last year of high school is incredibly disappointing. “I really want to play sports right now,” the senior Max Grotstein said.

Overall, most students expressed

sadness. However, there is the hope of sports returning. “With so much uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 Pandemic, we are still on a “wait and see” approach regarding competitive high school sports. It has had a major effect on everything related to sports. Seasons have moved, schedules have been adjusted, and we still don’t have any specific answers on whether or not we’ll be able to compete,” said Director of Athletics Jason Donnelly about the possible sports schedule for Laguna.

“We knew we would have the opportunity to safely return to in-person learning as soon as it was possible. That was the focus. Now that we have returned to school, we will look at bringing the teams we have in the currently scheduled “fall” season, Cross Country, Boys Volleyball and Girls Volleyball back to some on campus training. We are working to s e e what that will look like and we are following all of the county and state guidelines put in place for sports,” Donnelly added.

All hands are on deck in the effort to safely bring back sports. “With so much chaos going on, it is such a blessing that we have such a hardworking staff that has allowed us to come back in person already and prepare sports to return safely,” Donnely added.

“We are all waiting for updated information. Hopefully, we can get some on-campus information from the state, as well as the CIF in the coming months.”

For sports, where social distancing is doable, there’s a bright future; all other sports are somewhat uncertain. “[I am] Excited for basketball,” junior Sebastian Fisher said.

Bringing sports back will give stu-

dents something to keep them active and preoccupied while everything else is currently closed. “It better happen. Seriously! I need it to happen,” sophomore Katherine Ball said.

Covid-19 changed the world; for better or worse, the world is adapting to those changes.

Sports are an incredibly important part of the average persons’ daily life and are needed more than ever to keep people preoccupied and busy while cooped up.

Thankfully, due to people’s hard work in the professional sports community and to the Laguna staff, sports are slowly starting to come back so that the world may feel normal again.

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