Issue 16

Volume 118 Issue 16

The Record

Horace Mann’s Weekly Newspaper Since 1903

record.horacemann.org January 15th, 2021

In-person schooling to resume on Tuesday Claire Goldberg Staff Writer On January 19, all students and faculty will return for in-person schooling, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said to 446 members of the community in a town hall. Kelly conducted the town hall on Wednesday to provide an update on the health of the community and the conditions for the return.

During the town hall, Kelly announced that the school has applied to be a verified vaccination center for the Bronx community. If the school is approved, it would designate a single facility to vaccinate people in the local community. This center would be constantly cleaned in order to prevent additional risks to the school community. “If we can step up and help out our community in the Bronx, you bet we will,” Kelly said.

All students and faculty members have to supply proof of a negative test before returning to school. As of Tuesday and since the first day of school in September, the entire school community had 63 positive tests, Kelly said. To facilitate easy and safe access testing at no cost, for the return to school the school opened a testing facility on campus that administered tests to 800 students. In addition, 8% of the student body will be online when school reopens.

On Wednesday, the school ordered 200 doses of the vaccine for faculty and staff members. While the school is not requiring employees to be vaccinated, most are opting to do so, Kelly said. “We’re looking like we’re going to have herd immunity among the faculty by the end of the school year, assuming the vaccine works as intended.”

The school will reopen on Tuesday and test 40% of the community this upcoming Friday, Kelly said. If there are a minimal number of cases and the source of these cases can be identified, the school will

continue on a regular schedule, he said.

The school might adopt a new testing schedule to increase safety and provide a sense of normalcy, Kelly said. In this case, every member of the community would be tested every other week according to an odd/even schedule so that 100% of the community would be tested every two weeks.

Jennifer Rosenberg P’22 P’24 said she favors the new testing protocol because it helps keep both the school and home environments safe.

“I’m thrilled to hear that my kids get testing because it keeps us all safe,” she said. “‘Test as often as possible’ has become my motto.”

The school expects to see exponential increases in cases due to the more vigorous variant and the increasing case numbers in the tristate area. The school expects to see moments where students and employees are asked to quarantine, and quarantine numbers may go up in light of regional increases in cases.

Daniel Steinman P’20 P’26 said hearing about the exponential growth rate of cases was reassuring. “It was paradoxically comforting, because it was so obviously realistic,” he said. “I felt that we were being spoken to very directly and given the full picture of what lies ahead without any censorship.”

During the first 11 weeks on campus, the use of buses, the pick up and drop off routines, and lunch were not found to be venues for the spread of the virus, Kelly said. As such, the school will continue to offer bus services. “We’re never going to be a school of have and have nots; if we can’t have the buses we will not hold in-person school,” he said Extracurricular activities and athletics contributed to the school’s need to quarantine larger numbers of students; however, the school will see IN PERSON on p. 5 Emily Shi/Features Editor

RAPID TESTING COVID testing occurs in the Prettyman gym.

Wexlers visit “Literature of the Levant” Hanna Hornfeld and Sean Lee Staff and Contributing Writer Award-winning Ethiopian-Israeli filmmaker Esti Wexler and Israeli producer Elad Wexler, her husband, visited English teacher Dr. Deborah Kassel’s Literature of the Levant class yesterday. The Wexlers co-founded Abaynesh Productions with the goal of telling intersectional stories, inspired

by Esti’s immigrant, Jewish, EthiopianIsraeli, and female identity, according to their website.

As a friend of the Wexlers, Kassel invited them to the school to conduct a Unity Week workshop last year. This year, she invited them back because they could add a unique layer to her class, which celebrates the diversity of Middle Eastern ethnicities, religions, and cultures through the lens of film and literature, she said.

After Kassel introduced the Wexlers, and the couple showed a clip from the first major film they created together, “Lady Tity Sings the Blues,” Kassel invited students to ask questions. Members of her class had spent the previous day independently researching the Wexlers and preparing questions, Kareena Gupta

(12) said.

The little Ethiopian representation in Israeli film and television tells a story of sadness, pain, and poverty, Elad said. The Wexlers wanted to change this narrative with their films. “Lady Tity Sings the Blues” is a comedic drama about an Ethiopian man. The film’s use of Ethiopian culture, music, and humor allowed the Wexlers to portray Ethiopian-Israelis as unique and happy individuals, Esti said.

Taking control of the way Ethiopians are represented has always been important to Esti — even in art school, she did not allow her white peers to interview Ethiopian people. As a child, when journalists interviewed Esti about her emigration from Ethiopia, she felt uncomfortable. “I asked myself, ‘Why are they controlling my story? I want to tell my story,’” she said. “I noticed when you are not telling your [own] story, you can say whatever you want and you can hurt the people you are talking about.”

The concepts of representation and taking control of one’s narrative resonated with Ericka Familia (12). “Especially as a Hispanic American living in the U.S., I don’t see my culture often expressed or depicted in mainstream media,” Familia said. She found the Wexler’s goal of reaching the wider Israeli audience with

their films to be meaningful.

The Wexlers try to represent marginalized voices beyond EthiopianIsraelis in their films, such as members of the LGBT community in “Lady Titi Sings the Blues.” “In our community, there is no discussion about [LGBT people],” Este said. “If you ask my parents, they will say to you there are no gays, there is no transgender. It’s not thought of as something positive or acceptable. I have a lot of things to say about racism, but we also have to check ourselves and see people that need to be heard.”

Kassel hopes to challenge students to continue to educate themselves about the complex reality of many cultures of the Middle East. “I wanted to present a vision of a world strong enough to withstand the false, misinformed perceptions of others religions, ethnicities, and complexions,” she said. “I value my role as a teacher as an opportunity to deconstruct biased scripts by sharing a multiplicity of voices and truths in the spirit of peaceful and mutually respectful coexistence.”

Gupta found the intersection of Ethiopian and Israeli culture in Esti’s story to be inspiring. “We haven’t really focused on Ethiopian-Israeli culture, and it’s interesting to see these two worlds come together,” she said.

LEARNING ABOUT RACISM Feris teaches parents.

Parent Institute

Nonprofit founder Sachi Feris discusses racial equality Alex Lautin Staff Writer Sachi Feris, the founder of Border Crossers, a nonprofit organization focused on racial equality, held a workshop with the school’s Nursery and Lower Division parents on Tuesday to spur proactive and concrete conversations about race. Feris emphasized rejecting older teachings that focused on color blindness and instead encouraged parents to discuss race forthrightly with their children.

Parent Institute Director Wendy Reiter said Feris’s workshop fit the institute’s current mission of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion perfectly. “The goal of the Parent Institute this year is to mirror the conversations that students and faculty members are having regarding issues of race in our country,” Reiter said. “I’m really quite proud of the roster of speakers we have put together for this year’s Parent Institute events, including Ms. Feris.”

Feris’ workshop was predominantly focused on how parents should navigate discussions about race with young children, Reiter said. “As you grow, your ideas of race are often greatly influenced by the conversations and values you have at home and how they become inculcated in your own development,” she said. “This was really to offer parents of young children an opportunity to learn how to confidently answer their children’s questions of race if they didn’t quite know how to respond.”

Feris provided parents with images and picture books to provide them with tools to foster beneficial conversations of race with their children. “It was not a presentation,” Reiter said. “And that was the goal. It was a hands-on workshop for parents to navigate different ways to approach difficult conversations with their children.”

Feris was introduced to the school community by Parent Institute consultant Martha Haakmat, Reiter said. Haakmat, an educator who works with schools on diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism, was familiar with Feris’ work and thought she would be perfect to jumpstart the institute’s antiracism discussion.

“Tuesday’s event was designed to answer parent, grandparent, and caregiver requests for more conversation and more practical information about the how of raising anti-racist children,” Haakmat said.

Reiter held a planning meeting with Feris prior to the workshop where she introduced Feris to the school’s values and truly learned of Feris’ expertise. “We provide them with context of what Horace Mann School is, what are our values, what is our mission, what the mission of the Parent Institute really is, and what we provide our HM community,” she said. Reiter said Feris’ devotion to working with young children was also clear during the meeting.

To recognize race and identity from the beginning of the workshop, Feris split parents into breakout rooms in which they all said their names, affiliations, and racial identities. In the frequent series of breakout rooms that followed, parents were also able to interpret various images and reading materials together. “I think speaking to other parents is always awakening and helpful,” Meghann McDonell P ‘28 P’ 30 P ‘33 said.

Feris included polls as a part of her workshop. Each poll was focused on gauging how comfortable parents are with discussing race with their children. The results showed that parents were indeed hesitant to teach their children topics of racism.

The more parents discuss race, the more comfortable they’ll feel doing so, Feris said during the workshop.

From the workshop, McDonell learned racism and self identity

see PARENT INSTITUTE on p. 5

THE RECORD OPINIONS JANUARY 15TH, 2021

Is impeachment enough? The aftermath of the Trump era

Destiney Green 2020 was an endless loop of terrible events. As I watched the clock tick down on December 31st, I envisioned a perfect world. Perhaps replacing the number zero with the number one — transforming 2020 to 2021 — would give us all a fresh start.

But my thoughts quickly changed six days into the new year when violent thugs and domestic terrorists violently attacked the United States Capitol where government officials resided. The attack upon the United States Congress, incited by the President of the United States of America Donald J. Trump, became once and for all the breaking point for a handful of Republicans. In hindsight, Trump’s years of deception and lies as well as his incitement of terrorism became the turning point for the country often considered as the best in the world.

Undoubtedly, Trump’s efforts to undermine democracy did not work in the way he wanted to.

Not only did he endanger the lives of government officials as armed, maskless Trump supporters

broke into the Capitol, but he, as President, directly threatened and disregarded the democracy and integrity of America that he promised to uphold.

Following his assembly and provocation of the attack on the Capitol, Trump neglected to acknowledge the effects of his efforts. In feeding his thoughtless followers numerous conspiracy theories about the recent election and inciting them to attack the Capitol, Trump’s loss will be more than that of an election. With this, a second impeachment has taken place and Trump, deservingly, will face consequences for his shameful and humiliating actions over the past four years.

Trump disgracefully became the first president in U.S history to be impeached twice. The decision to impeach Trump not only demonstrates his uncompromising actions in the eyes of America and the world but also instills a sense of hope, amidst its ugliness, in me. This historical impeachment is emblematic of the dreadful presidency Trump led,

dividing our nation and failing to “Make America Great Again.” Although Trump’s presidency concludes in a little under one week, a second impeachment creates a new precedent for our leaders, and with the required vote and conviction by the Senate, potentially prohibits the biggest mistake from ever happening again: Trump running for President of the United States and winning.

Should Trump be barred from office, the American people will be spared another presidency filled with Trump committing tax fraud, spewing lies and conspiracy theories, fuelling hate and white supremacy, downplaying a deadly virus that has claimed the lives of almost 400,000 Americans, separating children from their parents, and placing children and adults in cages (to name a few of his most egregious accomplishments). Most importantly, of course, Trump won’t be able to take golf trips while he should be fulfilling the role of President, which he was elected to do, but has Vivian Coraci/Staff Artist

failed to do for four years. A second impeachment followed by a conviction in the Senate and subsequent Senate majority vote will also cause Trump to lose post-presidential benefits such as lifetime pension, backing for travel, and funding for staff and an office. If only Trump’s loss equated to the loss he has caused so many people to experience these past four years –loss of family, loss of money, loss of life, and loss of hope.

Trump’s incitement of violence and response to it, along with the second impeachment, has caused me to reflect on the past four years.

Though Trump’s recent unredeemable actions have resulted in impeachment, I cannot help but think about his supporters who are complicit in enabling his destructive behavior. Impeachment might be a punishment for Trump, but what is the punishment for those who have bought into his hate and lies, those who have condoned divisive and hateful behavior? Are their actions redeemable, and is it fair for them to avoid judgment for their aid and support of the President through all his transgressions? What about those who have undermined democracy under oath and fueled the notion that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris cheated the election to win?

I suppose the long-awaited condemnation of Trump amongst those who have defended and condoned his actions is better late than never, but they must take responsibility. Perhaps those who have been complicit in Trump’s actions, watching the monstrous consequences of their willful ignorance destroy Trump and his party’s reputations, along with the world’s view of America, punishment is enough.

Perhaps not.

Stop the spread: The dangers of misinformation

Hanna Hornfeld The more polarized we become, the less likely we are to have intelligent, informed, and civilized debates. If we are locked into thinking that “we are always right and the other side is always wrong,” it becomes difficult for us to discern truth from opinion.

This mindset is partially responsible for the frightening number of people who give credence to false truths. Beliefs that climate change is not real, that COVID-19 was manufactured in a lab, or that vaccines will cause harm reveal just how widespread this affliction has become. And it doesn’t only affect people we hear about in the news. Friends and family members have told me that “the left supports racial segregation” and that there were no humancaused wildfires in the Amazon rainforest before President Jair Boslonaro came to power.

Throughout his presidency, Donald Trump has notoriously used social media to make baseless assertions and spread misleading information.

Reporters have compiled lists of tens of thousands of false and misleading statements that the President has made throughout his term. These lies culminated last week when Trump’s repeated claims that the election was stolen caused a mob of angry protesters to attack the Capitol, Twitter and Facebook removed Trump’s platform.

The danger of misinformation has existed long before the internet, as illustrated in the 20th century — from Hitler’s emotionally charged speeches about a “master race” to Senator Joseph McCarthy’s fear tactics used against alleged Communists during the Red Scare. People with an influential platform have always been able to manipulate others into believing what they want. Social media has just acted as an accelerant, as algorithms trap people in echo chambers of their own beliefs and social media companies are not held accountable.

As these echo chambers lead to collective narcissism, an exaggerated confidence in the popularity of the opinion of a group one belongs to, people become more fixed in their beliefs and more isolated from views that contradict their own.

Research has found that this polarization makes people even more inclined to trust information that supports their biases and disbelieve information that contradicts them, regardless of that information’s basis in fact. This phenomenon, called confirmation bias, occurs across the political spectrum. A 2019 study conducted by Nottingham Trent University researchers Craig Harper and Thom Baguley, titled

“’You are Fake News’: Ideological Asymmetries in Perceptions of Media Legitimacy,” found that people on the left and right were equally inclined to believe false news that affirmed their preexisting biases. Regardless of our politics, we are undeniably susceptible to misinformation.

None of us can single-handedly solve the problem of misinformation in the world, but we can individually take steps to protect ourselves and others from falling prey to it. As students, we are still developing our approach to processing information. As long as we are consuming news — especially on social media — we need to be critical of it. Fact-check everything before you repost it. If cited, I like to refer to the original source to check the context and see if and how an account spun information to drive home their point. I also try to find that information from a source that I trust. I always ask myself why I am reposting something.

Is it playing on my emotional need for positive reinforcement, or is it a genuine attempt to share relevant information with others?

Avoid consuming all of your information from one outlet. Try to diversify your sources by deliberately reading opinions that you disagree with or news from places you wouldn’t normally turn to. And don’t read these sources just to see what the “wrong side” is saying — genuinely appraise the thinking of others, and consider it as you form your own ideas. I used to turn to conservative news outlets and Twitter accounts to scorn views different to my own and expose myself to opinions that I could then counter in future arguments. Now, when I read articles and watch videos that conservative

Lauren Kim/Art Director

friends and family members share with me, I try to approach them as open-mindedly as possible. This is difficult to do and I usually end up disagreeing with much of what is said, but I find that if I don’t dismiss the article from the beginning, I can come across a point that I agree with.

Even if my overall opinion remains unchanged, I can at least sincerely understand someone else’s point of view and value the thought behind it instead of reflexively dismissing their arguments as illogical and ridiculous. This approach may be difficult, and I am still working on incorporating this attitude into my life, but I believe the extra effort can be worthwhile for all of us.

Volume 118 Editorial Board Managing Editor Talia Winiarsky Features Henry Owens Emily Shi Vivien Sweet

News Sam Chiang Yesh Nikam Marina Kazarian

Opinions Maurice Campbell Avi Kapadia Natalie Sweet

A&E Izzy Abbott Abby Beckler Oliver Steinman

Editor-in-Chief Julia Goldberg Lions’ Den Yotam Hahn Alison Isko Josh Underberg

Middle Division Adrian Arnaboldi Bradley Bennett Jack Crovitz

Staff Staff Writers Devin Allard-Neptune, Mia Calzolaio Chloe Choi, Emma Colacino, Yin Fei, Lucas Glickman, Claire Goldberg, Tuhin Ghosh, Liliana Greyf, Lauren Ho, Hanna Hornfeld, Purvi Jonnalagadda, Oliver Lewis, Rowan Mally, Simon Schackner, Morgan Smith, Arushi Talwar, Katya Tolunsky, Nathan Zelizer, Max Chasin, Alex Lautin, Jillian Lee, Hannah Katzke, Vidhatrie Keetha, Zachary Kurtz, Clio Rao, Ayesha Sen, Emily Salzhauer, Aden Soroca, Emily Sun, Madison Xu Staff Photographers Kelly Troop, Sophie Gordon, Amanda Wein, Emma Colacino, AJ Walker, Lucas Glickman, Lauren Ho Staff Artists Eliza Becker, Felix Brenner, Vivian Coraci, Riva Vig

Issues Editor Adam Frommer Design Lowell Finster John Mauro Sarah Sun

Art Annabelle Chan Gabby Fischberg Lauren Kim Rachel Zhu

Photography Jackson Feigin Julia Isko Maxwell Shopkorn

Faculty Adviser David Berenson

Editorial Policy About Founded in 1903, The Record is Horace Mann School’s award-winning weekly student newspaper. We publish approximately 30 times during the academic year, offering news, features, opinions, arts, Middle Division and sports coverage relevant to the school community. The Record serves as a public forum to provide the community with information, entertainment, and an outlet for various viewpoints. As a student publication, the contents of The Record are the views and work of the students and do not necessarily represent those of the faculty or administration of the Horace Mann School. Horace Mann School is not responsible for the accuracy and contents of The Record and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or views expressed therein.

Editorials All editorial decisions regarding content, grammar, and layout are made by the senior editorial board. The unsigned editorial represents the opinion of the majority of the board.

Opinions Opinion columns represent the viewpoint of the author and not of The Record or the school. We encourage students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents to submit opinions by emailing record@horacemann.org.

Letters Letters to the editor often respond to editorials, articles, and opinions pieces, allowing The Record to uphold its commitment to open discourse within the school community. They too represent the opinion of the author and not of The Record or the school.

To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters should

be submitted by mail (The Record, 231 West 246th Street, Bronx, NY 10471) or email (record@horacemann.org) before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All submissions must be signed.

Contact For all tips, comments, queries, story suggestions, complaints and corrections, please contact us by email at record@ horacemann.org.

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HORACE MANN NEWS AND MIDDLE DIVISION JANUARY 15TH, 2021

AP Biology investigates race science with journalist Angela Saini Lucas Glickman Staff Writer Scientific journalist Angela Saini visited Upper Division Dean of Faculty and science teacher Dr. Matthew Wallenfang’s AP Biology class to discuss her book “Superior: The Return of Race Science” on January 12.

Over the summer, Wallenfang searched for resources which discussed the intersection of race and biology. He stumbled upon “Superior,” which explains how race is a social construct and not rooted one — a common misconception, he said. “One excellent aspect of her book is that it isn’t just neutral reporting, but she brings a lot of personal reflection to what she is talking about,” Wallenfang said.

“What resonated with me the most was the connection between the themes that she discusses and race science in the present day,” Ericka Familia (12) said. “Science regarding race can never be objective is because it is always influenced by internalized biases, historical implications, and our political climate,” she said.

Prior to her talk, Wallenfang requested that all of his students submit between two and five different questions they had for Saini, he said. A week beforehand, Wallenfang emailed Saini to ask her if she wanted to see the questions beforehand — but she said that she’d prefer to answer them on the fly.

“As somebody watching today, she speaks so fluently, it almost seems like her answers were prepared answers, even though she had no idea what questions were going to be asked,” Wallenfang said.

During her visit, Saini asked the class what lessons they took away from her book. Yotam Hahn (12) said he aspires to be a scientist as he believes that the profession can save humanity from itself. However, “Superior” showed him that science could be equally as threatening to society. Scientists have the responsibility to stop misnomers, he said.

While reading “Superior,” Aidan McAndrew (12) said he realized that race is always separated from science, but the development of race in culture has always been, in part, dependent on the misuse of science.

In exploring the historical and social context of race science, the book demonstrates that science is not always impartial, Ahaana Shrivastava (12) said. Shrivastava said understanding the racist beliefs held by famous scientists demonstrates the importance of viewing their work from a different perspective, as race science has been manipulating science from behind the scenes.

Students also had the opportunity to ask Saini questions about her book. Familia asked Saini which topic she would choose to delve into if she had the option to add a chapter into her book.

“Science regarding race can never be objective is because it is always influenced by internalized biases, historical implications, and our political climate.”

- Ericka Familia (12) Saini said she would expand on the chapter of medicine. At the start of the pandemic, she heard that there were higher mortality rates for Black Americans and Asian doctors; many prominent physicians speculated that a genetic difference between ethnicities was leading certain groups to be more susceptible to the virus.

However, after the murder of Geroge Floyd over the summer, there was a political shift in society, she said. There is a strong connection between scientific research and politics, as despite

Courtesy of SPIE

SAINI SPEAKS Saini gives a keynote on equity. the fact that there was no new scientific data, the physicians who stopped speculating about a genetic difference between races.

Afterwards, Shreya asked how the increase in the number of people of color and women joining STEM fields may affect the concept of race science. Specifically, Shreya was interested in learning how scientists who are conscious of the history behind their topic may contribute to their fields. This brought Saini, who was educated in the United Kingdom, to the topic of education. She critiqued the United Kingdom education system in which specialization occurs at a very young age; it results in scientists who have little exposure to the social sciences, she said.

Before the discussion, the class engaged in full-period presentations on each chapter of Saini’s book “Superior.” The presentations included a short summary of the chapter followed by an analysis of the topics discussed, Shrivastava said.

Wallenfang and Science Department Chair Dr. Lisa Rosenblum, who teaches Biology 2A/B, both intend to use “Superior” in their classes next year, Wallenfang said.

UD students host first installment of MD MLK-themed assemblies Purvi Jonnalagadda and Clio rao Staff Writers As the first installment of a group of Martin Luther King Jr. themed assemblies, the Middle Division (MD) had a diversity assembly on Thursday in which eight Upper Division (UD) students spoke about different aspects of their identities, focusing on topics such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

After many years of holding one MLK Assembly each year, Head of Middle Division Javaid Khan decided that it was time to expand the program, he said. “Dr. King stood for so many things and I wanted to capture his spirit of activism during the entire month of January, rather than on one day,” he said.

A few years ago, Khan decided that every presentation in January would focus on advocacy as well as specific concepts the presenters are passionate about. “It introduces our community to a wider range of causes, from volunteerism to the environment to race relations to financial literacy,” Khan said.

MD Mentors organized and piloted the

diversity assembly, seeking out student speakers and coordinating the assembly, Jonas Jacobson (12) said.

The committee, led by Nshera Tutu (12), met over Zoom to determine the best possible way to make the virtual setting effective, Kate Bown (12) said. The committee contacted speakers over email to distribute guidelines and coordinate logistics. The committee, speakers, and Director of HM Parent Institute Wendy Reiter also held a dress rehearsal prior to the assembly.

“This assembly is important for MD students because it can teach them about diversity and how to be inclusive to everyone in the community,” Ethan Furman (7) said. “These assemblies allow us to express what diversity means to us.”

“MD Mentors’ leadership had been doing all of the heavy lifting,” Khan said. “They are just fantastic models of how leaders lead.”

After attending the diversity assembly and hearing incredible stories as a sixth-grader, Louise Kim (10) said she was inspired to give back. Kim’s speech discussed her confrontation

LISTEN UP High schoolers share their stories during first installment of MLK themed assemblies.

with homophobic beliefs she was taught through her religion when she was younger to support her non-binary friend.

“I became more accepting and then supportive of the LGBTQ community and finally realized that in my new understanding of Catholicism, the teachings of Jesus do not only accept LGBTQ people,” she said. ”They support them and love them as he loves all other people.”

Naomi Yaeger (9), who previously attended a Jewish day school, spoke about leaving her Jewish bubble and gaining exposure to new perspectives after attending a biking trip with non-Jewish people. The trip gave Yaeger a new perspective on her Jewish identity, she said.

Yaeger hoped the assembly would help MD students better understand the importance of diversity. “When people are only exposed to one race, one ethnicity, one nationality, one religion, one political party, or one set of ideas about any topic, they miss out,” she ofsaid.

Courtesy Barry “They Mason miss out on learning new ways of being that they could identify with more, they miss out on the amount of life they can enjoy, and they miss out on seeing their own identity from a new light.”

Like Kim, Bown remembered hearing stories from high-school students as an audience member in the MD. After hearing an inspiring assembly when she was in the MD, Bown wanted to contribute.

Aidan McAndrew (12) shared his experiences about growing up with two mothers and feeling underrepresented as a kid when he saw a mother and father together. McAndrew said he was frustrated by the numerous questions about how his upbringing was different and was tired of endless questions. However, he realized that the school community is like a family structure that was very supportive.

Avani Khorana (10) discussed confronting the stereotype that all Asians are intelligent and excel at math, which Khorana said is the subject that challenges her most. These struggles made her feel as if she was losing a part of her identity, she said.As a solution, Khorana connected with her culture by participating in the annual Asia Nights.

Elise Kang (9) spoke about her experience with Christianity. The 2020 election made her increasingly aware of the ways in which religion conflicts with her personal values, she said. “I’ve chosen to modify some Christian ideals for myself in order to support the world I believe in.”

Bown hopes students leave the assembly with a greater understanding that they have teachers and peers to talk to and that their experiences and feelings are valid. “I want them to feel comfort in the fact that among all of our differences, our community shares common goals, and that there is infinite value to discussing and celebrating Courtesy of Sam Singer diversity,” she said.

The assembly taught MD students how to step into other people’s shoes more easily, Ella Hecht (7) said. “I found the story on family structure to be most compelling, since it was the newest topic for me to hear,” Hecht said.

Similarly, the assembly helped Hannah Hunt gain new perspectives about identity. “You can’t assume things about people just by their race, and that you won’t truly know what people are going through unless you reach out,” she said.

“It’s a terrific opportunity for MD students to see and hear from their mentors. Their stories often bring light to ways in which we can do better in our jobs of supporting them,” Khan said.

Answers to crossword on p. 5

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THE RECORD FEATURES JANUARY 15TH, 2021

Holding down the fort: Faculty, staff visit campus during HM Online

By Devin Allard-Neptune and Liliana Greyf Staff Writers On a normal morning, Public Safety Specialist Glenn Smith would greet hundreds of community members from his seat at the school’s front desk.

Since the end of in-person classes in November, however, Smith has had a lot less waving to do. Yet Olshan Lobby is not entirely empty. Throughout HM Online 2.0, various members of public safety, facilities management, school staff, and teachers have spent their work days on Tibbett Avenue.

In late November when classes transitioned online, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly sent teachers a Google Form asking which days they would be most likely to come into campus and which rooms they hoped to use during their time online. Now, on the mornings of each of their planned arrivals, teachers must email Director of Public Safety Mike McCaw and Director of Facilities Management Gordon Jensen to let them know of their upcoming visit.

Once on campus, teachers work remotely from classrooms, and members of facilities staff thoroughly clean those areas afterwards. Teachers are still required to abide by standard procedures, math teacher Meghan Fergusson said. “We all wear masks,” she said. “We don’t leave our enclosed zones.

We still take it very seriously.”

English teacher Dr. Andrew Fippinger has been working remotely from campus every day of the week since the end of winter break, mostly because it is psychologically easier for him. “I like the feeling of going somewhere in the morning to work and then coming home and being home from work in the evening,” he said. Because he drives his children to their school nearby, it is also easy for him to commute to and from campus regularly.

“There’s something about having a physical separation between home and work,” Math teacher Benjamin Kafoglis

interrupted some of her lessons, which makes it hard for Itani to teach, she said. “I want to take advantage of the 45 minutes of class time and be able to answer questions and provide my students with a good class, so it can be kind of hard at home.”

When she spends the day teaching from campus, Itani finds that she is considerably more productive in her classroom than she is at home. Although she is fortunate to have an office at home,

“

were teaching a class in person, open my Zoom, teach the class, and then I leave and come back to my office.”

Wallenfang also enjoys the mental benefits of physically coming to campus.

“It can make you a little bit stir crazy sitting in the same chair all day long,” he said. “It’s nice to just have a change of environment, be able to get up and walk to the subway and walk up the hill.”

Fergusson comes to school simply to

however, Fippinger sits alone at his desk, able to focus on the tasks at hand.

While this may be helpful for his work, the emptiness of the school is not entirely positive, Fippinger said. He sometimes jokes with his colleagues about how they are more productive in an empty school. “It’s almost like I don’t want to stop working because if I think too much about how empty it is here, I’ll get really sad,” he said.

said. “The most eerie thing is that the main field is completely barren and empty. Crossing over to Lutnick, it’s just completely dead.”

The lack of students has changed the way the Facilities Management team does its job, maintenance member Jimmy Ostuni said. In a regular year, students would be present as Ostuni sorted through recycling or picked up trash. Because most community

“It’s nice to just have a change of environment, be able to get up and walk to the subway and walk up the hill.”

-Dr. Matthew Wallenfang

Itani said the work environment and solitude that she finds in her classroom allows her to stay motivated throughout the school day. “When I’m at school, there’s nothing else I can do but work,” she said.

Kafoglis experiences a similar shift in focus. “I have an association with my home that tells me to watch TV, or play a video game, or read a book, so it’s harder for me to focus,” Kafoglis said. “When I’m at school, I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m here at work,’ so I’m less distractible.”

A separation from personal life definitely helps with productivity, Dean of Students and science teacher Dr. Matthew Wallenfang said. “Both my husband and I are working from home in a one-bedroom apartment, and so it’s nice to be able to give each other a little bit of space every once in a while so that we aren’t on top of each other all the time.”

When one of his classes is meeting synchronously on Zoom, Fippinger

Vivien Sweet/Features Editor

A BARREN FIELD Main field is devoid of the usual students playing sports and eating lunch. experience a change of pace, she said. “I go in to break up the monotony of being in the same physical location all the time.

I find that being in a different location physically is actually meaningful — you can be transported in a way.”

Because the school is currently so

Math teacher Brianne Gzik said the lack of students and teachers on campus is a stark change. “It’s sad to not see everybody out there and seeing kids playing frisbee on the field,” she said. “All of the students are why I love teaching here and love teaching in general.”

It is sometimes sad to be at school without the students, Fergusson said.

“You go in and see evidence of something you really miss,” she said. “You have all

members are at home, Ostuni has much less cleaning to do, he said.

While students are not at school, maintenance is working on projects around campus that they normally would not be able to do during a normal school day, Maintenance Supervisor Dan DeCecco said. This includes renovating and painting classrooms and maintaining equipment around the school.

“

“It’s almost like I don’t want to stop working because if I think too much about how empty it is here, I’ll get really sad.”

-Dr. Andrew Fippinger

Gabby Fischberg/Art Director

said. “I don’t really like to work at home — even if it means I have to stay late at school, I try to finish all my work there so I can go home and just sort of be there.”

This separation can also limit interruptions from family members during class. Math teacher Linda Itani’s two-year old daughter has occasionally

moves from his seat in the English office to the classroom in which he normally teaches. However, he does not alter his teaching methods to the room. “If I want to have the effect of a whiteboard, I still just project something on Zoom,” he said. “It’s simply a psychological quirk for me — I go into the classroom as if I

empty, with only a couple of people on each floor at a given time, Fippinger has found it easier to concentrate on his work than he would on a regular school week. “It’s distracting to be at work [normally] when I want to talk with my colleagues or with students who pop in and out of my office,” he said. Now,

these memories, but it’s totally empty.

All the joy and fun and excitement is completely gone.”

Although library assistant Sandra Duran comes to school once a week to mail and scan books to community members, she does not usually see anyone on campus, she said. “It looks sad to me,” she said. “Everything is so quiet, and you rarely bump into anyone.”

Even though there are still other people on campus, specifically those who work in the Deans’ office, Wallenfang does not socialize with other faculty members while teaching on campus, he said. “We really don’t see much of each other because of distancing,” he said.

“We just go to our own offices and close the doors.”

The school is not the same when students are not present, Wallenfang

However, there are more challenging tasks that the pandemic has created for Ostuni. During these weeks of online school, members of maintenance must construct and improve the protective equipment, such as glass barriers and air filters, in classrooms.

During a normal winter break, Ostuni and his coworkers would change carpeting, check drains, and fix heating systems in preparation for the new semester. This year, the holiday recess was more quiet — Ostuni simply continued his regularly-scheduled orders of fixing broken lights and cleaning on and around the campus. Only now, three weeks past the beginning of school, has Ostuni begun preparing for the arrival of students. This year, preparation involves bringing furniture into the outdoor tents, changing filters in the air systems,

5

HORACE MANN FEATURES JANUARY 15TH, 2021

and ensuring that all PPE is functioning properly, he said.

In preparation, DeCecco said the maintenance crew reorganized the campus to accommodate the cold weather and the places students used while school was in-person. “It was looking back at the fall, seeing what was used and what wasn’t used and tweaking it,” he said.

This year, preparation includes rearranging tents and eating areas around campus, DeCecco said. Some tents that were not used during the fall on Alumni Field have been removed, and additional eating areas have been added so students can eat indoors during the winter.

Other than these few changes, the majority of the preparation has been returning campus to how it was before school went remote. Over the last few weeks, the maintenance crew has returned the furniture to the tents, set up the food service stations, and added desks and new dividers in classrooms, DeCecco said.

The role of the Public and Safety Department, which is currently present on campus, has not changed since the transition to virtual school, Director of Public Safety Mike McCaw said. “The school wants us to be fully operational, working 16 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said. The department is currently operating as it normally would, and each member of Public Safety is positioned where they would be while students are present.

While school is not in session, McCaw arrives at campus before six am and works with the Public Safety team to check the school’s security systems.

McCaw spends the rest of the day in meetings and doing administrative work for his department.

The biggest difference for Public Safety while campus is closed involves managing traffic outside of the school, McCaw said. At the beginning of the year, the Public Safety Department hired more public safety officers to manage

the influx of cars and buses due to socialdistancing restrictions. However, while students are not commuting to school, there is no need for the officers to come to school every day, McCaw said.

are creating a barrier between their homes and their jobs, there is not one overarching reason that teachers have been choosing to come to campus over the last few weeks.

the day at school, she has more time to work and plan for lessons, she said.

The school is currently offering oncampus child care for teachers with young children, an option that science

Emily Shi/Features Editor

EMPTY HALLS Olshan lobby and other normally crowded areas are vacant while students are away.

As preparation for the reopening of the school, the Public Safety Department has to ensure that these part-time officers can safely return to campus.

The new officers must test negative for COVID-19, and their schedules as police officers must correlate with the school’s dismissal times, McCaw said.

During HM Online around 60 administrators, Public Safety, Facilities, Flik staff, IT staff, support staff and faculty members go to campus every day, McCaw said. Compared to the 2,000 students and faculty normally on campus, the job of a member of the Public Safety Department is a lot smaller than what it normally would be, McCaw said. “It’s a microcosm of what goes on, but still it’s enough to keep people engaged.”

Although many feel that they

Gzik’s daily commute has been made much easier with the option to teach remotely from campus, she said. Gzik has a son who attends preschool in the

“

teacher Dr. Jane Wesely has taken advantage of. She has come to school a few times in order to work in a classroom while her children are watched nearby.

“The school is not the same when students are not present. The most eerie thing is that the main field is completely barren and empty.

Crossing over to Lutnick, it’s just completely dead.”

- Dr. Matthew Wallenfang area, and before there was an option to teach remotely from campus, she spent two hours commuting to the Bronx from Queens. Now that she can spend

In addition, some teachers have chosen to work from their physical classrooms because of the resources available to them there, Wallenfang

from PARENT INSTITUTE page 1

from IN-PERSON page 1 continue to allow activities. “We’re going to continue with extracurricular activities because they are a key part of how our kids intellectually and actively play.” They will allow intramural sports for the winter season.

However, the school has made the decision to prohibit all out-ofschool activities. Rosenberg said it was one of the most restrictive yet necessary decisions Kelly has made. “This year I’ve heard of many cases spreading through travel sports,” she said. “To the extent that we can keep our bubble as tight as we can, this is better and safer for all of us.”

To accommodate lunch in the cold weather, the tents will be heated to make them suitable for both dining and work with distancing. The food truck and pizzeria will also relocate to the Lower Gym. Teddy Ganea (11) said while he likes the tent, he wonders how the

said. He comes to school on the two days a week when he teaches class synchronously, he said.

“The internet is reliable on campus, and the whiteboards are great to have,” he said. “I have tried teaching using the iPad and Apple Pencil, but generally speaking, it is easier and more dynamic to use a whiteboard.”

Math teacher Charles Worrall has also found that it benefits his advanced classes to use the large whiteboard in his classroom at school as opposed to the smaller one at his home. “There’s often a moment where you’ve got everything laid out on the board and it’s just nice to see it all at once,” he said.

Wesely also came to school a few times in order to have access to various lab supplies that were given to students before they left campus. “I showed them what the basic setup of the lab was using the materials I found at school,” she said.

Teaching from her classroom allows Itani to teach without potential technological issues that might occur at home. “Sometimes my internet is spotty and I will have a class where everyone is frozen and I have to keep checking in making sure they can hear me,” she said. “When that happens, it’s distracting and it takes up time.” When teaching at school, Itani does not have to worry about the wifi cutting out in the middle of class, she said.

Kafoglis realized that while at school, he has access to numerous textbooks, a perk which allows him to be more creative while planning lessons. “If I need some inspiration, I often turn to those other books,” he said. “It’s been really helpful to have those.”

Although Fergusson has been grateful for her workspace, she is excited to have students back on campus, she said. “The power of this building is the people in it. I’m excited to have everyone back.”

administration will handle the ventilation. “It’s hard with tents because if you have too much ventilation it defeats the point because you’re freezing, and if you don’t have ventilation you have a fester of coronavirus,” he said.

While students will not be allowed to eat inside classrooms, they will have the added option of the lower gym. Furthermore, if the gym, the cafeteria, and the tents do not provide enough space for students to eat lunch, the school will build more tents.

Steinman left the town hall feeling more confident in the school’s ability to open safely. “I’m really impressed by the flexibility of the school,” he said. “Having the ability of our school to pivot on a moment’s notice helps us from being stuck with a decision that ends up being the wrong decision.”

should be discussed daily and not only when spurred by events in the news, she said. “[The workshop] made the subject matter really approachable.”

“If we’re talking about race almost never — once a month or so — then it’s not part of our daily focal in which we’re seeing the world,” Feris said.

Feris’ work helps parents be more confident when discussing racism with their children, to give the kids “a firm grounding in naming race and seeing people of color fully” and help them be “equipped to understand racial inequality and be advocates for inclusion,” Haakmat said.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Across

by Features Editor Henry Owens

1. Not shallow 5. Notice 9. Presidential power to overrule congress 13. Dean of students 14. “Or____” (threat) 15. Art project 17. Let it stand (editing shorthand) 18. Voting location 19. Religion and music of bob Marley 20. Site of January 6 insurrection 22. “One ___ forward, two ___s back” 23. Where a ship may be lost 24. Pre-adult 25. Christian symbol 26. e.g. bullets 29. Prefix before -meter or -scope for example 30. Friends 34. January 20th for United States 39. Pivotal publication from Back to the Future II 40. For a car or swing 41. Head hitting onomatopoeia 42. Pre-release versions of tech 43. Density times volume 46. Biblical brother of Moses 47. A person’s energy

48. Former favorite platform of Trump 51. “Analysis of variance” for short 53. Additionally 54. Ratio of the opposite side to the hypotenuse of a right triangle 57. Adjective commonly preceding “coronavirus” 58. Tranquil 59. e.g. dog or name 60. 1996 Broadway musical featuring “Seasons of Love” 61. Single dollar bills 62. Coin insert

Down

1. Dental degree 2. Must do this to survive 3. College that decides presidential election 4. K 5. Old timey filter 6. Plan 7. Capital of Norway 8. Say to someone 9. DVD predecessor 10. Delete 11. Sensation of 2 Down 12. Frequently 16. Percussive dance style 21. Soccer video game

23. Stadium 24. Task list 25. Measure of average change in cost of household goods 26. Taken___ 27. Ancient Egyptian mother goddess 28. 1501, Roman numerals 31. Hobbies 32. The ___ Board of The Record 33. Brand of plastic food wrap 35. Gossips 36. Colorful card game with “+4” and “reverse” 37. Went quickly 38. Affirmative 42. Animal associated with vampires 43. Under 18-year-old 44. Not below 45. Six’s greatest fear 46. Smallest particle of an element 47. Vehicle larger than car, smaller than truck 48. Popular Mexican food 49. Wireless computer network with limited range 50. Small island 52. Other option, shorthand 55. Independent nonprofit 56. Our timezone

6

HORACE MANN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 15TH, 2021

Student Fashion Profiles Courtesy of JT Thomas ctor Gabby Fischberg/Art Dire

Is Courtesy of

myr

abela Binn

Courtesy of Aidan McAndrew

JT Thomas

Madison Xu Courtesy of

innMyr Isabela B

Alexandra Yao

Contributing Writer “I’m pretty good at describing almost a mood or a vibe for the day using what I wear,” James Thomas (11) said. “You can tell from what I pull up to school with how exactly I’m feeling that day.”

As a child, Thomas said his parents often chose his outfits for him. However, as he grew older, he began experimenting with his own style. “Around ninth or 10th grade, I started thinking about what I wear to school and how I could actually arrange fits together,” he said. “And I, throughout my time at Horace Mann, came up with this type of style that people identify me with.”

Currently, Thomas feels most comfortable in corduroy pants, Jordan 1s, and a sweater.

“That’s definitely a fit I could live in,” he said. As high school progressed, however, his style has undergone various changes.

“Freshman year was kind of just long-sleeve polos and jeans,” he said. In sophomore year, Thomas enjoyed matching his t-shirts with high socks. He also added a sherpa jacket to his wardrobe, calling it “iconic.” “Everyone knew me as the dude who wore a sherpa jacket,” Thomas said.

While remote learning in his junior year made it difficult for Thomas to show his sense of fashion, he still found ways to do so.

“Sometimes I like to stand up and walk around just so people can see my fit on Zoom,” he said.

T h o m a s’ father is one of his biggest influences. Thomas often browses through photos from his father’s teenage years to see what his fashion sense was like, he said. He sometimes wears his father’s old clothes, including his belts, socks, and corduroy pants.

In addition to his father, Thomas takes inspiration from Liam Futterman (12). He uses Futterman’s fashion sense — a laidback and relaxed look while still appearing presentable — to create his own unique style.

MADISON

Isabela Binnmyr Jillian Lee Staff Writer You may be able to spot Isabela Binnmyr (12) from across Alumni Field by her eclectic outfits, especially ones including her favorite color: green. While her style is continually evolving, Binnymyr’s fashion is always a representation of herself, she said.

Fashion has not always been a major aspect of Binnmyr’s life, as she has only started dressing in an expressive way this year. “When I was younger I tended to reject all things that were girly because I didn’t want to seem weak or feminine, because that was always considered a bad thing,” she said.

Now, Binnmyr no longer allows gender stereotypes to limit her style and loves to experiment with different looks. “Clothes just make me really happy,” she said.

She describes her ideal fashion style as “fairy grunge,” which often combines soft pastels with darker edgier elements, with slight influences from the ‘90s and other historical fashion trends, like corsets.

Binnmyr shops at many different stores with four points of criteria in her mind: fit, patterns, colors, and most importantly, the emotion the piece brings her. By

Aidan McAndrew

choosing pieces that resonate with her, fashion becomes a way to express herself, Binnmyr said. “I feel like it just helps people understand you a little bit better if you’re able to communicate who you are through your clothes.”

Other aspects of fashion intrigue Binnmyr as well. She enjoys reading about historical fashion trends and loves looking at corsets from the 19th century in particular, she said.

Binnmyr has also had the opportunity to try her hand at making clothes during quarantine. “It’s really stressful, but it ends up being really fun in the long run,” she said. Sewing clothes also allows Binnmyr to save costs, which is fulfilling, she said.

Binnmyr’s inspiration stems from Pinterest and Beabadoobee, a British singer known for her ‘90s grunge aesthetic, she said.

After browsing Pinterest to find a piece she likes, she replicates them at home with her sewing machine in her free time. Her current project is a prairie top based on a garment from the early 1900s, she said.

Fashion brings Binnmyr great joy and she plans to continue playing with her style in the future, she said.

XU

Katya Tolunsky Staff Writer

At the beginning of junior year, Aidan McAndrew (12) made the decision to change the way he dressed, develop his own personal style, and use fashion as a form of self-expression, he said. “You can play around with style,” he said. “It’s very much like using your body as a canvas to make art.”

McAndrew describes his current style as “avant garde-luxury,” though it is constantly evolving. “I’m going to wear what I’m going to wear, and I don’t really care if I’m trendy or not,” McAndrew said.

Before junior year, McAndrew had no interest in fashion or style, he said. “I didn’t really understand why you would spend more than ten bucks on a t-shirt or the histories behind certain fashion labels,” he said.

However, after a conversation with his friends in which they questioned why he dressed so plainly, McAndrew began exploring the world of fashion and considering how he wanted to present himself. “I’m a very expressive guy,” he said. “I’ve always been very artistic since I was little, but I never really saw fashion as part of that until then.”

During junior year, McAndrew started watching YouTube videos about famous designer brands and their histories. Then, he began examining streetwear and playing with the form and shape of his own clothing.

When McAndrew first started to experiment with how he dressed, he worried about what others would think and say about his style, he said. Now, however, he is not very concerned about other people’s opinions. “I realized that the people that judge you are the people that are afraid to take that risk and express themselves,” McAndrew said.

McAndrew also loves androgynous clothing that plays with gender neutrality, he said. Many big fashion houses create gender neutral clothing, especially on the runway, McAndrew said. “You don’t have to be afraid to just try stuff out.”

In the future, McAndrew wants to learn to sew and make his own clothes, he said. Sometimes he will draft drawings and send them to his friend to bring them to life, he said. “If I make my own clothing then I can make exactly what I was thinking about,” McAndrew said.

When shopping, McAndrew’s philosophy is quality over quantity. “You want to have that stuff forever,” he said. McAndrew recommends shopping at thrift stores, consignment stores, and little boutiques in Manhattan and Brooklyn. He says he often goes to pop up stores or thrift stores that show up on his Tik Tok “for you page” as well.

McAndrew’s style has evolved tremendously over the course of high school. “It’s a journey to get to this place,” he said. “I’ve really learned a lot about what I like and how I want to present myself.”

MADISON XU Helen Fajemirokun Staff Writer “There’s no way to pinpoint a ‘signature style’ that I have,” Madison Xu (10) said. “It’s totally dependent on exactly how I feel starting the day.”

Xu has been passionate about fashion ever since her days “wandering around [her] mom’s closet” as a child, where she would strut around in her mother’s heels and drape herself in dresses that fell far past her ankles. Since then, Xu’s fascination with fashion has evolved into a sophisticated representation of herself and she has long outgrown the need to raid her mother’s closet, she said Until recently, Xu said she often felt restricted to a specific fashion taste because of social norms, and she even recalls trying to mimic the style of her peers. “I used to always wear the basic sweater and leggings, and never wore anything I really wanted to [like] cool accessories or colorful pants.”

Over time, Xu gained more confidence in her style. Xu’s newfound confidence came in part from witnessing an increase in inclusivity in the fashion

industry on social media. Especially after Harry Styles graced the cover of Vogue Magazine, there seem to be fewer restrictions as to what someone can wear, Xu said.

Now, her style changes constantly, which results in copious and consistent shopping. Xu “worships” brands like Depop, a site on which users can sell and buy used clothes, since it allows her to find unique pieces while also promoting sustainability. At the rapid rate in which her style develops, she is glad she no longer has to resort to fast fashion but now has environmentally-friendly pieces “that are often way cooler” than the alternatives, Xu said.

Xu finds most of her outfit inspiration on social media, specifically on Instagram, where trendy teens and world-class runway models alike have the opportunity to display their style.

Xu is hopeful about the direction of the fashion industry — from increased inclusivity to greater sustainability — she feels positive that “the industry as a whole is becoming more moral,” Xu said.