Issue 18

Volume 118 Issue 18

The Record

Horace Mann’s Weekly Newspaper Since 1903

record.horacemann.org January 29th, 2021

INSIDE THIS ISSUE page 2: Students facilitate Gender in Debate Conference page 3: Opinions: Arora on Harris page 4: Considering SOI page 5: Seniors give up old habits page 7: Professor Butler discusses criminal legal processes

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THE RECORD NEWS JANUARY 29TH, 2021

Shi (12), Snyder (12), Granmayeh (12) host Gender in Debate Conference Emma Colacino Staff Writer Panelists and attendees discussed gender, sexism, and gender dynamics within the debate and speech circuit during the second Gender in Debate Conference (GIDC) held on Saturday over Zoom. The conference, which Emily Shi (12), Sasha Snyder (12), and Leyli Granmayeh (12) directed, brought together students from a variety of debate activities such as Public Forum (PF) Debate, Model United Nations (MUN), Model Congress, Mock Trial, and Parliamentary Debate. The 90 attendees consisted of students from the school, as well as students from other states and countries.

The conference began with an hour-long panel session in which debate alumnae Sara Catherine Cook, Jenna Freidus ‘18, Amala Karri, Anjali Ramanathan, Rabhya Mehrotra, and Inbar Pe’er answered questions regarding their experiences with sexism in debate and discussed ways to make the debate circuit a more equitable space.

Shi moderated the panel discussion and read audience members’ questions, which were sent to her through the Zoom chat. Shi found it powerful to see underclassmen writing in the chat about how the panelists’ experiences resonated with them in their own debate careers, she said.

Hearing other female debaters speak about past experiences was Jojo Mignone’s (9) favorite part of the conference, she said. While she was horrified to hear the stories of sexism that other women have experienced, she learned how to respond to misogyny in a debate competition. “In an instance where we witness or experience something that suggests women did not deserve equal judgement in a debate, we should confront the issue,” she said. “For example, reporting a judge if they make a verdict in which your gender holds weight.”

After listening to panelists speak about sexism from judges, Rachel Kuhn (11) reflected on her past Mock Trial tournaments and on the fact that the majority of the judges were male, she said. “That brought to light how I would be so much more comfortable if more of my judges were female.”

After the panel, the conference was split into two half-hour breakout sessions, the first with mixed debate activities and mixed schools, and the second with the same debate activities. The purpose of the first breakout session was to have attendees reflect upon the panel and the role of gender within debate. In the second breakout room, students brainstormed ways

to make the debate circuit more equitable.

Granmayeh said the breakout session was interesting because the diversity of participants — both in terms of their schools and backgrounds in debate — ensured a wide variety of topics and issues were discussed, she said.

While Shi moved throughout the breakout rooms, she heard a lot of attendees self-reflecting on gender in debate, she said. “Even in groups that were dominated by a lot of Horace Mann students or debaters, I saw that people from other schools were really opening up about their experiences.”

After rejoining the main session, students were sent into breakout rooms, which were separated by debate activities; the first room was for PF underclassmen, the second for PF upperclassmen, the third for Model Congress and Model UN, and the fourth for Mock Trial, Speech, Parliamentary Debate, and other miscellaneous activities.

These rooms provided a space to brainstorm ways to combat gender inequality in debate and create initiatives to make the debate environment more equitable.

Within the PF underclassmen room, students discussed the importance of addressing instances of sexism, Sam Korff (10) said. “If a judge makes a comment about the way a person who identifies as female speaks or the way they dress, instead of just going up to them after that, and saying, ‘Well, I’m really sorry that happened actually,’ we should be standing up in the moment and telling the judge that that is wrong.”

Alexa Turteltaub (10) was glad to see how many students — regardless of gender — were dedicated to working against gender inequality within debate.

“You can’t just change the culture by only talking to girls and telling them how to deal with gender discrimination, so the fact that the boys were participating to create a more equitable environment in debate was really inspiring and a pleasant suprise.”

The organizers discussed making this year’s conference focus on identity in debate, and include topics of race and sexulity, but ultimately decided that two and a half hours would not be enough time to discuss the topic adequately, Shi said. “Being a white cisgender woman in debate is very different from being, for example, a Black woman in debate or being a transgender or nonbinary debater,” she said. In future years, Shi envisions the conference holding more discussions on intersectionality and how other identifiers such as race, sexuality, and class, along with gender, impact debaters within their careers.

Courtesy of Emily Shi

ACCOMPLISHED DEBATERS Granmayeh (12) and Snyder (12) pose.

School implements new COVID-19 policies following return Devin Allard-Neptune and Jp Eliopoulos Staff and Contributing Writers For the first time since November, students returned to in-person instruction, which now includes updated policies concerning socializing both inside and outside of school.

The administration has instituted quiet lunches, which mandate silence whilst eating to prevent the airborne spread of COVID-19. All students and faculty are allowed to socialize only after they have finished their meals and have put on their face mask, Kelly wrote.

Students must also avoid participating in in-person after school activities and socializing with students from other schools, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly wrote in an email. Kelly stressed the importance of students staying within the “HM pod” outside of school and of staying outdoors while wearing masks when students Riva Vig/Staff Artist

socialize with other members of the school’s community.

The administration decided to implement these new policies as a result of the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the community and as an extension of the Plan to Reopen, Kelly wrote. Along with new rules for outside of school socializing, new on-campus policies aim to keep those on campus from potentially spreading COVID-19.

If students and their guardians do not voluntarily follow the rules, he will be forced to take action to ensure the safety of the school community, Kelly said. “If a student is found to be ill or in need of isolation or quarantine because of their participation in an after school activity, that child, and potentially their siblings, if there are any, will be moved to remote instruction for the

duration of the school year.”

Eva Campbell (10), who plays on a club volleyball team outside of school, said that the new policy changes are unfair. Because her team follows COVID-19 guidelines while at practice, Campbell said she should be allowed to play if she is staying safe. “Horace Mann is entertaining safety policies, so they should allow

“

“I trust that the school has taken the necessary precautions to keep us all safe, while still giving members of the community some freedom with our return to in-person instruction.”

-Nick Butera (11)

students to do other activities with safety policies outside of school,” she said. “I feel we practice very safely, so it should not be necessary for us to stop sports outside of school.”

Before in-person learning resumed, Amanda Katiraei (12) was aware of students who did not follow the guidelines of the HM Promise.

“It’s easy to see who isn’t social distancing through social media,” she said.

Since she returned to school, Katiraei said she chose a few friends to consistently socialize with in order to limit the number of people with whom she interacts.

From his first days back on campus, Leo Hess (11) has noticed that some students are not following the protocols regarding lunch, he said. “The new policies do not make me feel much safer, because their effectiveness relies on how much they get followed,” he said. “I have not seen much compliance with the silent lunch rule and the reemphasis on mask wearing.”

On the first Monday back at school, all Upper Division (UD) A period classes discussed the changes to on-campus rules through a handout Kelly sent in his original email. In the handout, the administration reemphasized the HM Promise and reminded students how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through handwashing and mandatory mask-wearing.

Even with all of the new changes, Nick Butera (11) said he does not feel any safer than he did before HM Online. “Despite the new policies to limit the spread of the virus, the new and potentially more contagious strains of COVID-19 definitely necessitated these stricter policies.”

Still, Butera said the school has done what it can to keep its students and faculty as safe as possible. “I trust that the school has taken the necessary precautions to keep us all safe, while still giving members of the community some freedom with our return to in-person instruction.”

Sean Lee/Staff Photographer

KEEPING OUR DISTANCE Students study behind plexiglass in the library.

“The system is working the way it’s supposed to”: Professor Paul Butler calls for prison abolition Ayesha Sen and Clio Rao Staff Writers On Wednesday night, guest speaker Professor Paul Butler discussed the problems and potential reforms for policing during the fifth installment of the Upper Division (UD) Speaker Series: “How Did We Get Here: The Problems and Potential Reforms for Policing Today.” History teachers Dr. Emily Straus ’91 and David Berenson ’95 coordinated the event, and Alecia Daley-Tulloch (12) and Sonia Shuster (12) moderated it.

Butler, a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, is a Georgetown law professor, author, activist, and well-known scholar of race and criminal justice.

At the event, Butler discussed the common misconception that incarceration improves the quality of life for the average citizen. The first prison in the world, created in the early 1800s, was based on the idea that incarceration was fairer punishment than physical repercussions, he said. The origins of the system were flawed, and it continues to present problems today, he said.

Butler also explained different ideas surrounding incarceration reform and the abolition of the prison system.

He explored how the need for criminal justice reform is rooted in greater American problems: white supremacy and

the patriarchy. “You look at what happened to George Floyd and Michael Brown and think we need to get rid of these racist policing institutions, but the issue is actually a lot bigger than just policing,” Butler said. “The problem isn’t bad apple cops, it’s that the system is working the way it’s supposed to,” he said.

Butler’s experience in the field of criminal justice helps him communicate his perspective, History Department Chair Dr. Daniel Link said. “[Butler] is an African American man, IvyLeague educated, and worked as a federal prosecutor,” he said.

“He’s moved in different worlds, which means he can speak to different audiences.”

English teacher Jennifer Huang was especially struck by Butler’s assertion that the policing system was consciously designed rather than broken, she said. “It reframes the debate around police reform in a way that I think is likelier to effect meaningful change, because it doesn’t just nibble at individual cases,” Huang said. “It’s a comprehensive, systemic way of looking at the problem, and it indicates a need for radical, proactive solutions.”

Butler questioned the extent to which the United States criminal legal system meets its goals. “The reality is that prison doesn’t hold people accountable for the harm they’ve done or make people safer,” he said. “We talk about the ‘criminal justice system,’ but I don’t like that name at all because there’s actually see Professor Paul Butler on pg. 7

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HORACE MANN OPINION JANUARY 29TH, 2021

VP and me: Reflecting on Harris’ journey

Rosy Arora Last weekend marked the four year anniversary of the 2017 Women’s March. I was in eighth grade when I made my mom drive me and two friends to Washington D.C. for the event. I was disappointed that Hillary Clinton had lost the recent presidential election, but I marched because I was angry that she had been defeated by a man who had openly bragged about sexually harassing women on video and that 63 million Americans did not find his behavior disqualifying. The fact that almost 500,000 people showed up to march that Saturday was comforting to my 13-year-old self because it was an acknowledgement that many agreed that women were not seen.

Kamala Devi Harris, recently elected to the U.S. Senate, emerged in the national political scene at that exact moment and spoke to the crowd about fighting a fight that may be considered “unwinnable.” Her inauguration four years later as the first woman and first person of color to be Vice President is an important milestone.

Harris brings both political skill and a diverse set of gender, racial, and cultural perspectives to the office. These attributes have the power to

profoundly impact the country’s future.

Vice President Harris is accomplished in law and public service, and her career is characterized by achievement, political savvy, and barrier breaking. In the San Francisco District Attorney’s office, she was the chief of the Division on Children and Families and established California’s first Bureau of Children’s Justice. She was the first woman and person of color to be elected District Attorney of San Francisco. She then went on to be the first female of color to be elected Attorney General of California, where her signature accomplishment was negotiating a $20 billion settlement for California homeowners during the mortgage foreclosure crisis. She also created an online platform called Open Justice, which made criminal justice data available to the public on the number of deaths and injuries of people in police custody. She went on to be elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016. During the 2020 presidential campaign her record as a prosecutor was heavily criticized, and many people think she will need to prove that she is as committed to criminal justice reform as she promised.

I, like many, am just as inspired by her personal history as I am by her professional one. Harris is the daughter of parents of two different races — Black and South Asian — and two cultures — Jamaican and Indian — and unapologetically celebrates them all. She grew up going to two places of worship, a Black Baptist Church and a Hindu temple. She visited her mother’s family in India frequently as she explored her South Asian identity. She attended Howard University, and through the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority met a group of female friends that have been a source of strength throughout her life.

I see myself in Vice President Harris’ multidimensionality. I also grew up in a household of two religions, cultures, and traditions. I am mixed race; my mother is white and my father,

who came to the U.S. in his twenties, is Indian. Most people can’t tell that I am South Asian, and I often don’t feel “Indian enough.” Ultimately, I am not sure which dimension of Harris’ rich identity resonates most with me. However, I see an accomplished woman who avoids labels and is brave enough to bring her many identities to the job instead of trying to minimize her complexity. It’s both a source of pride and relief to see her in the White House, because she represents progress.

I am also inspired by Harris’ candor about the challenges she has faced as a woman in politics. Reflecting on the many naysayers throughout her career, her advice to younger women is “I eat ‘no’ for breakfast, so I would recommend the same. It’s a hearty breakfast.” Contemplating both the weight of being “the first” and the obligation that women have to mentor each other, she credits her mother for reminding her that “you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last.” Her expression of her multicultural identity and her persistence in breaking down barriers for others has made me think about how I can have the greatest impact.

President Biden and Vice President Harris will preside over a cabinet that is the most diverse in history; it includes General Lloyd Austin, the first African-American Defense Secretary, Avril Haines as the first female Director of National Intelligence, and Janet Yellen as the first female Treasury Secretary. It is thrilling to imagine Harris’ influence over this slate of candidates.

In her role as Head of the Senate, she will cast the tie breaking vote, an influential position that will make her critical in advancing the new

Annabelle Chan/Art Director

administration’s agenda.

Vice President Harris may be uniquely suited to lead, but she will also be uniquely tested at a difficult time in America. Systemic racism has been revealed through high profile cases of police brutality and glaring health disparities exacerbated by the current pandemic.

According to the Nation Women’s Law Center, over 2.1 million women have dropped out of the workforce since last February as the result of an economic recession. Harris represents the possibility of a new chapter in America. In this chapter, we will acknowledge each other’s diverse identities rather than oversimplifying them; we will show respect for each other by making an effort to pronounce an “unusual” name, and we will work harder to understand perspectives that are different from our own.

Jonnalagadda (11) questions decision to reopen wears cloth masks — whether by personal preference or because of a lack of access to surgical masks — and I have begun to question the administration’s decision to reopen school. I understand that in-person learning is undoubtedly more effective than online learning, yet I wonder whether we are ultimately jeopardizing the safety of students and faculty as a result.

Purvi Jonnalagadda The United Kingdom’s variant of the coronavirus — which has recently begun to spread throughout the United States — has only increased the danger of the virus. Moreover, with other variants such as the South African and Brazilian ones arising, the uncertainty surrounding the virus and its duration only increases.

According to The Washington Post, experts are even suggesting people should “double mask,” saying that n-95 or surgical masks may be more effective against new variants as they will inevitably become widespread in the US. Consequently, I have observed many people at school this week wearing surgical masks or n-95’s.

Still, the majority of the community

When I read the email Dr. Kelly sent the Middle Division and Upper Division concerning the new COVID-19 guidelines, I wondered how seriously students would take them. Many students still convene outside of school without masks, and even in school, students gather in small circles. When we began the school year, everyone was initially cautious — but the fear of infection quickly subsided. During break, students would cluster in groups on the field and many would talk loudly without a mask while eating.

I fear the same will happen again as we return to school this week and in the following weeks. Now, however, there is a greater danger for immunocompromised members of the community and students with older family members. They are already at a higher risk of becoming infected, and as the transmissibility

continues to increase, their physical health can be severely affected, and they will be more likely to experience stronger COVID-19 symptoms if infected.

Moreover, if a few people are exposed to the virus, many students will need to attend school virtually.

Sitting through school online while the majority of the class is inperson is even more difficult than participating in HM Online with the rest of the community because

students must stare at a computer the entire day and are unable to converse with friends or classmates.

Especially as more students are exposed to the virus and many more are forced to quarantine because of contact tracing, it would make more sense to keep school online so students do not miss out on learning or socializing.

As the virus becomes increasingly transmissible, I believe that school will close before spring break,

Vivian Coraci/Contributing Artist

causing an unexpected shift to HM Online 2.0. The schedule changes cause students anxiety as they cautiously await an email titled: Remote Instruction. These shifts also leave students without a sense of routine which results in an inefficient work ethic upon the return to in-person school. Online, students tend to be more carefree, which makes the abrupt schedule changes that much more difficult to adjust to. This is a cycle that will not end until COVID-19 subsides.

Of course I love seeing my friends and teachers in person. I also respect the administration for its tireless efforts to ensure that we can attend school in person. If students adhered to COVID-19 regulations by staying six feet apart from others, using sanitizer regularly, talking only with a mask on, and following the same rules outside of school, there would be a greater chance of school remaining open. However, because students do not always respect the guidelines, it would be best to reopen school when the virus has truly dissipated or at least until a majority of the school’s community is vaccinated. That way, students can be exposed to a sense of normalcy and consistency without the fear of school closing once more.

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

News Sam Chiang Yesh Nikam Marina Kazarian

Staff

Opinions Maurice Campbell Avi Kapadia Natalie Sweet

A&E Izzy Abbott Abby Beckler Oliver Steinman

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

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

Issues Editor Adam Frommer

Middle Division Adrian Arnaboldi Bradley Bennett Jack Crovitz

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

Design Lowell Finster John Mauro Sarah Sun

Editorial Policy

Art Annabelle Chan Gabby Fischberg Lauren Kim Rachel Zhu

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,

Photography Jackson Feigin Julia Isko Maxwell Shopkorn

Faculty Adviser David Berenson

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.

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THE RECORD FEATURES JANUARY 29TH, 2021

Seminar on Identity: Opportunity or obligation?

Students and alumni reflect on the course Hanna Hornfeld Staff Writer “SOI was never, ‘Here’s this opportunity to learn about the world and check yourself before you go to college and get hit with this blast of reality,’” Tiger Lily Moreno ‘20 said.

Instead, the course was presented to Moreno as a class she had to “get through,” she said.

Students have had mixed feelings about Seminar on Identity (SOI) for as long as it has existed as an 11th grade requirement. After observing that it wasn’t creating tangible change, Acting Director of the Office of Identity, Culture, and Institutional Equity (ICIE) Ronald Taylor redesigned some aspects of the curriculum this year.

Still, opinions on the course remain conflicted.

Four years ago, SOI replaced a Counseling and Guidance course called Quest in which students were encouraged to think about their beliefs in relation to the beliefs of those around them. Former Head of ICIE John Gentile wanted to offer a course more directly focused on identity, so he designed SOI, Head of Upper Division Dr. Jessica Levenstein wrote. The purpose of the weekly pass/fail class, which runs from November 30 to April 19, is to address a n d transcend t h e that

discomfort c o m e s

hinders the course’s goal of creating a productive learning environment, Arora said. When she was in SOI, the main focus was on sexuality. Instead of diving deeply into serious issues related to the topic, Arora found that a lot of class time was devoted to defining basic terms in a surface-level way.

“I didn’t feel like I learned anything I didn’t know before,” she said. “If you’re a high school junior, I feel like you know what it means to be gay versus lesbian, so pictures and videos explaining it seemed tedious and childish.”

As a junior, Moreno often found herself frustrated that the curriculum explained issues of systemic discrimination in a simplified manner.

“It was spoon-feeding the kids who had never had to have those conversations or be conscious of their skin color or wealth,” she said. “At the beginning, it was a very simplified version of how painful it is for some people.”

Math teacher Ben Kafoglis, who is currently teaching SOI for the third year, has found all of the conversations in his classes to be meaningful. With new students bringing their voices to the table each year, discussions are always unique and fruitful, he said.

Since he began teaching the class, Kafoglis has found that his students are more likely to talk to him about equity.

Kafoglis said he chose to teach SOI because he wishes he had this type of class when he was at school. “Issues of identity, of social justice, of equity, are paramount in our world and in our school,” he said. “[In class] we

“I know other kids in SOI felt as though having to use their identity as a point of reference for other people to learn from was exhausting.”

To change this harmful dynamic, Moreno said teachers should explicitly underscore the need for all students to participate in SOI so that conversations become less draining for students of color. “We as a community need to try harder when you get in the classroom to raise your hand and share candidly about your own experience and help

“

“[SOI] was spoonfeeding the kids who had never had to have those conversations or be conscious of their skin color or wealth,” she said.

“At the beginning, it was a very simplified version of how painful it is for some people.”

-Tiger Lily Moreno ‘20 out your fellow classmates who have to have these conversations often, just by participating and taking a little pressure off them,” she said.

Students often come into SOI with preconceived notions about the class that hinder their desire to make it a positive experience from the very

Talks and responding to short journal prompts to the curriculum. Wilson hopes these assignments will allow students to spend more time each week thinking about what they learn in SOI. “It’s good to have students understand that it’s very much intellectual work,” he said. “This is a class that has an impact on other classes, not just where you show up once a week and that’s it.”

SOI sometimes suggests that conversations about race should be confined to one course instead of being streamlined throughout every class at the school, Upper Division Dean of Faculty Dr. Matthew Wallenfang said.

“While SOI is an essential course that provides students with a common vocabulary and baseline understanding of issues of identity, the course might give the impression that conversations about race can be disconnected from other parts of the curriculum,” he said.

“When in reality, they should be part of classes across disciplines at the school.”

Beyond homework, Taylor readjusted the curriculum to address some concerns about a lack of engagement, Levenstein said. SOI classes now make use of writing exercises, breakout rooms, and moments to pause and do a written reflection to ensure that every member of the class is learning, even if they are not the most active in the conversations, she said.

Tay l or has also introduced a final action

about each in-class and homework assignment, Hida has learned more about her own identity and her view of others’. However, especially due to the course’s lack of letter grades, it can be easy for students to dismiss the class as “just a requirement,” she said.

Homework assignments have been thought-provoking for Grace Wilson (11). In-class discussions, on the other hand, are often less meaningful, because Grace and her peers aren’t comfortable sharing their genuine feelings, she said. Most students in Grace’s class barely know each other, which has negatively impacted the class dynamic. While classes are currently built from common free periods, if rosters were created based on preestablished groups, such as HMO or advisories, conversations might be more open, she said.

Students with conservative opinions are discouraged to share their thoughts in class, Leah Sepiashvili (11) said.

Although SOI is meant to celebrate diverse experiences, the course operates under the assumption that all students share liberal political beliefs, she said.

“When we’re discussing problems like Trump’s Twitter ban, it becomes apparent which opinions are actually valued, because the other side never actually speaks up,” she said. “The culture makes it hard for them to say what they truly believe, in a fear of being labeled in a bad way. As someone who does agree, I feel that I’m missing out on hearing the other side.”

Myra Singh (11), however, has

Lauren Kim/Art Director

with identity, Ta y l o r said.

Some SOI teachers have completed training with Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED), a national program dedicated to teaching educators to instruct others on issues of equity and justice. Dance teacher Denise DiRenzo has taught SOI for three years because she wants to share the lessons from her SEED training, she said.

However, not all SOI teachers have undergone equity based training such as SEED, Taylor said. Any teacher can opt to teach SOI without a formal application or training process. Starting next year, SOI teachers will have to commit to a one-week summer training to review curriculum, strategies, and their role as teachers of the course, Taylor said.

Jaden Richards (12) thinks that this summer training is not enough to ensure all SOI teachers are properly qualified. It would be unreasonable for the ICIE to attempt to teach the complexities of an entire academic discipline in one week and expect faculty members to be prepared to teach the course, he said.

Students and teachers play equally important roles in determining the quality of the class, Rosy Arora (12) said.

Her SOI class last year felt monotonous, partly due to students’ attitudes. Every day, she and her classmates would sit down, watch the slideshow, barely participate, and eat pizza. The class quickly became a burden for those who were uninterested and those who had originally wanted to share their ideas, she said. “You want to contribute to a conversation to people who want to hear you,” she said. “And if they don’t really care, why would I want to contribute?”

The curriculum’s lack of nuance also

learn about our identity and our place in the world, and that’s worth it. I also enjoy learning about students. You all have a lot to offer and have an intriguing perspective, and that is a gift for me.”

Paul Wang ‘20, who was in Kafoglis’s class two years ago, found SOI to be a positive and informative experience.

Students were engaged and able to learn from each other, Wang said. In particular, after watching a documentary in class about the Avenues School called “Class Divide,”

“

“You can see [the students’] eyes glaze over.”

-Vernon Wilson

he remembers powerful discussions about how students could relate to issues presented in the film.

Moreno thinks students in her class learned a lot from the documentary, she said. After seeing the ways students in the documentary interacted with their school’s neighborhood, Moreno made a comment in class comparing their socioeconomic biases to those within the school’s culture, such as the stigma around going down the hill to Broadway, which stems from a fear of low-income neighborhoods. This connection seemed surprising and eyeopening to many of her classmates, she said.

Although it was nice to see her peers learning, it was draining to be one of four or five people who participated regularly, Moreno said. She found that the class discussions relied on people who belonged to marginalized groups.

“I felt myself getting very tired, and I can’t really imagine other people who have even more of a disadvantage, because I still have white skin,” she said.

beginning, Moreno said. To fix this, she said the administration needs to make an effort to “rebrand” the course, so that students see it as a privilege rather than an inconvenience.

As long as students have to give up a free for SOI, they will see it as a burden and remain close-minded, Monitor Dylan Chin ‘20’s said. Because conversations about equity and identity are necessary, they should be held in environments in which students will genuinely value them — for example, advisories could dedicate a set period of time to them, he said.

Large, optional discussions such as those that the ICIE has hosted this year can be more beneficial to the community than SOI has been, Arora said. “[These discussions] felt like something that any person should want to engage with,” she said. “And a lot of people learned a lot and were able to sit there and listen to other people’s experiences.”

Although optional meetings do not ensure every student’s participation, the ability to say that students are actually learning is ultimately more important than the ability to say that every student is involved in a class, Arora said. “You get people who want to hear and want to contribute,” she said. “And that’s the dimension that SOI lacked.”

English Department Chair Vernon Wilson, who has taught SOI for three years, has noticed that while some students are always actively engaged and grateful for the class, others are clearly unenthusiastic. “You can see their eyes glaze over immediately,” he said.

In previous years, the class’s lack of homework made it easier for students to forget about it for six days a week, Wilson said. This year, the ICIE introduced light homework assignments such as watching TED

project to the SOI curriculum. Around April, each student will collaborate with a faculty member to write policies that will make the school a more inclusive space, he said.

After the projects are submitted, they will be presented to the administration.

This way, students will be able to apply their learning to the real world, and learn how they as individuals can make change happen, Taylor said.

In addition, SOI classes now discuss identity as a whole, rather than focusing on specific topics such as race or sexuality, as they have in previous years. This change will give students the opportunity to build language across all aspects of their identities, Taylor said.

Broadening the curriculum makes

found

the open conversations in her SOI class to be fruitful. Singh said she would benefit most from the class if it were more discussion-based because it would feel personal. The pre-planned lectures lack depth, partly because there isn’t time to think deeply about each topic, and partly because of their generic and standardized nature, she said.

Despite many of her classmates’ reluctance to participate, Hida has learned a lot about her views of the world in SOI and has applied this learning to her daily life. For example, after watching Verna Myers’s TED Talk, “How to overcome our biases?

Walk boldly toward them,” Hida can

Felix Brener/Staff Artist

it easier for students to relate to, and therefore be interested in, the topics covered in SOI, Wilson said. “It’s easy to, if one wants to, distance oneself from these conversations,” he said. “But it becomes harder when the shifts make it more meaningful.”

Regardless of how well-structured the curriculum is, students will not learn anything from SOI if they do not make a genuine effort, Tomoko Hida (11) said. Because she has thought deeply

more easily identify instances when her implicit biases affect her perceptions of others. When passing people on the street, she now asks herself whether the assumptions she has made about them have been influenced by race or gender.

“I always think, ‘Would I think this way about a white man?’ and the answer is usually no,” Hida said. “I’m more careful of that now, mentally stopping myself as it’s happening.”

HORACE MANN FEATURES JANUARY 29TH, 2021

STUDENT EXPERIMENTS: A WEEK WITHOUT... coffee...

Courtesy of Nshera Tutu

a phone...

Courtesy of Sabrina Freidus

Sabrina Freidus (12) Monday 11:04 PM

DECAFFINATED Becca Rosenzweig (12) sleeps in the senior lounge.

Becca Rosenzweig (12) Monday

My week without coffee is off to a decent start! I woke up with extra energy this morning since I was excited to see my friends and teachers. For context, I’m not a seven-coffees-per-day kind of caffeine addict, but if I don’t have my cup in the morning, functioning becomes pretty difficult. To be honest, I began to crave a cup of coffee about ten minutes after getting out of bed this morning, then again during B period, which was my first full class of the day. However, I charged through, kept awake by the enthusiasm of my teachers and peers as well as the freezing cold as I walked from class to class. It is currently around 9:30 p.m., and though I have a headache (and not really a minor one), I would say that overall, so far so good.

Tuesday 10:03 PM

Wednesday 11:34 PM

Thursday 4:55 PM

Thursday

Final day without caffeine! I definitely do not plan on continuing my caffeine-free journey. Today I took naps in the senior study room during both B and G periods, each nap lasting the entire period. I could barely keep my eyes open during my classes, especially those in the afternoon. My faint headache also persisted throughout the day and has only continued to grow since I got home. Though these symptoms have truly proven to me that I do in fact have a pretty serious caffeine problem, I’m not sure that it is a big deal. I tend to focus better when caffeinated, and as a Horace Mann student, I’m not ready to give up that extra productivity boost. Overall, I really learned a lot about myself (mostly about withdrawal) during this experiment, but I am extremely excited for my cup of coffee tomorrow morning!

Courtesy of Henry Owens

THE STUPUB GAMBIT Mauro (12) looks at Sudoku.

John Mauro (12) Sunday

11:09 p.m. After tirelessly searching for a willing victim for the “no video games for a week” challenge without success, I decide to submit myself to the mercies of The Record and become the StuPub’s newest guinea pig. I begrudgingly text our high queen Julia Goldberg (12) that I’d do it, and she’s ecstatic that she’s found someone naive enough for this article. Until Thursday at Press Night, I will be unable to play or watch video games. The challenge begins now.

I should probably preface this by confessing the amount of time I spend playing video games and what types of games I play. Good things come in threes, and my Holy Trinity of choice content is League of Legends and chess on the chess.com website. (I really only play two games.) Now that I’m a second-semester senior, it’s not uncommon for me to get home at 7 p.m. and play League or Chess with my friends for 2-3 hours (of course, this is ONLY because I’m a second-semester senior… I would never dream of wasting my time like this before...) Surrendering video games means I, obviously, won’t be able to play with my friends after school, but it also means I won’t be able to watch them play either. Tough. I also won’t be able to watch any video games, so live streams or YouTube videos about games are out of the question.

I’m no longer allowed to play on chess.com, but my 27 win streak against Hunter Kim (12) will still continue. Enter Henry Matthew Bloom (12), who was so gracious as to let me borrow his miniature chess set. Yes, laugh all you want — I did in fact play chess with these pint-sized pieces for the week. I knew playing only chess during free periods would be boring, so I came doubly prepared with my edition of Bill Wurtz’s Sudoku Puzzles book. Armed and ready, I was prepared to start my day.

10:15 a.m. During break I stop by Mr. Berenson’s C-period class. I pulled out my sudoku book and my chess set to show him my fervent commitment, but by the time I was done I looked up and he was nowhere to be found. It seems for some reason, he left me in the middle of our chat.

11:35 a.m. Out of the corner of my eye I notice someone’s screen is slightly too flashy for calculating normal distribution of a curve.

Someone’s playing Minecraft in my class, and I’m not allowed to watch. Disappointing.

1:40 p.m. Nothing was abnormal. Luckily, I was still allowed to use slader.com, so I completed my math homework due H period.

Tuesday

4:30 p.m. After-school activities were cancelled, so I didn’t have swim practice. I got home and many of my friends were online playing League, but I couldn’t play with them, so I just joined the voice call and chatted. It didn’t feel that awkward, but still unusual.

Eventually, I got bored and left to finish some work alone.

5:30 p.m. I logged onto the East Wind West Wind (EWWW) zoom. We were practicing dances for Asia Night; Samantha was teaching us “I CAN’T STOP ME” by Twice. I convinced Nic Moreira (12) and Hunter to join me, and we’re going to record on Thursday during break.

7:30 p.m. I watched the last 5 episodes of the Queen’s Gambit. I recommend it highly — the music, acting, and story are great.

Wednesday

Today was incredibly difficult. When I first gave up caffeine, I expected that the early days of this challenge would be the toughest.

Apparently, I was mistaken. I began to feel quite groggy towards the end of E period, but I still managed to stay alert in my classes.

However, by the end of H period, I was more than ready to fall asleep. In all honesty, all I wanted on the bus ride home was a hot cup of coffee. The convergence of my headache, my sleepiness, and the cold weather did not help whatsoever. When I got home, I practically collapsed onto my bed, which is where I stayed until dinner. I never do homework from my bed, but I felt incredibly tired and couldn’t fathom getting up and sitting at my desk. I completed one homework assignment, then decided that the rest would have to wait until my free tomorrow morning. While watching Dr. Butler speak, I took some extra-strength Tylenol to soothe my piercing headache that’s been sitting above my right eyebrow. It seems as if I’m more addicted to caffeine than I had thought.

video games...

Monday

Tuesday

This morning was a bit rough. Though I did fall asleep last night without melatonin, which I usually need, I had trouble waking up and wanted nothing more than some caffeine to boost my energy.

My fatigue lingered throughout the bus ride to school, but chatting with friends and finishing up some last minute homework during my A period free helped me wake up. Surprisingly, I got through most of the day with high enough energy and managed to stay alert during all of my classes. I was incredibly jealous when my friends brought their coffees to class, but I overcame the temptation to stop by the cafeteria and grab a cup for myself. Everything was going swimmingly until halfway through H period when I was struck by a wave of pure exhaustion. While I typically like to be as productive as possible shortly after arriving at home, today I spent over an hour lying in bed and scrolling through my socials. Maybe that’s to blame on being a second semester senior, but usually when this happens, I go out for a cappuccino and start working once I’ve returned. It’s been very difficult to gain motivation to be productive without caffeine in my system, but my day has gone by headache-free.

5

Anna Miller/Staff photographer

Wednesday 8:25 a.m. It’s getting harder to restrain myself. The first major chess tournament of the year, the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021, is happening right now, and right before my fast began Magnus Carlson lost to Andrey Espinko. I’m looking forward to watching those games and catching up on the tournament.

4:00 p.m. I get home and I’m very tired. I’m going to take a quick nap.

9:00 p.m. This was a mistake. I just slept for five hours. I have work in every subject to make up, plus I slept through the speaker series… at least I wouldn’t have time to play games even if I wanted to. After watching the recording of it online and finishing up my other work, I went to sleep.

Thursday 4:25 p.m. My challenge is nigh complete. Once this journal log is complete, I’ll be free to use my time in more fitting ways for a second-semester senior. I have to say, it was more annoying than challenging. Videogames encompass a wide range of entertainment that I couldn’t access, so I had to find new ways to entertain myself.

I also felt more isolated from my friends, as I couldn’t completely engage with them after school. I think overall, it was a strong test of self-control and I enjoyed using my time in other novel ways.

UNPLUGGED Freidus (12) takes notes the fireplace.photographer Annaby Miller/Contributing

6

THE RECORD ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 29TH, 2021

Sisters Sophia (9) and Ava Paley help dancers in need Katya Tolunsky and Connor Dwin Staff and Contributing Writers In February of 2018, Sophia Paley (9) and her older sister Ava Paley realized that their closet was overflowing with old costumes, dancewear, and dance shoes from past recitals. The sisters realized that dancers around the world likely have a similar problem with their surplus of gently worn dancewear.

As a result, the Paleys decided to create Donate2Dance.

Donate2Dance is a nonprofit organization that aims to collect new or gently used dancewear, costumes, shoes, and donations and then distributes that equipment to dancers and dance schools in need. The organization has donated to over 150 programs all over the world, including 65 dance programs Courtesy of the Donate2Dance Website

GOOD CAUSE The Paleys co-founded Donate2Dance.

that serve inner-city children, Title I schools, and those with special needs, Ava said.

The Paleys’ first action was simple: they left a bin in their dance studio for people to place old dancewear, Sophia said.

“We came back the next week, and it was overflowing.” The pair then created a website and a GoFundMe page for money to ship the boxes to other dance studios. Donate2Dance now receives new dancewear as well as donations from companies nationwide, including Capezio, Dancewear, Terez, LeSportSac and Norwegian Cruise Line, Ava said.

In only three years, Donate2Dance has helped dancers from New York, Minnesota, Tennessee, Costa Rica, London, and Ghana. Currently, they have connections in over 25 states.

Eventually, Sophia hopes the charity will have a dance bin in every state, she said. “The more dance connections made from a wide variety of places, the easier it is to connect people together and spread the word and continue to grow.”

Donate2Dance receives several emails a day from people who found their website and are willing to donate dancewear, Sophia said. From there, the Paleys research the dance programs or companies closest to the individuals who want to donate. They then call or email the programs to ask whether they are in need of dance equipment. If the program says yes, either the person or company donating dancewear ships it to the Paleys, who then send the shipments to the dance school, or the donor makes the shipment directly.

“To be able to see how kids go from dancing in their socks and then we give them costumes and dance shoes and make a real difference is amazing,” Sophia said. Receiving photos and videos of dancers receiving their dancewear or dancing in it brightens the Paleys’ days, she said. “We believe that every child deserves the chance to dance,” Ava said.

Since Donate2Dance can be a large time commitment, Sophia is grateful that her parents and a handful of volunteers also contribute their help to the organization. “It’s obviously very difficult for two teenagers to be able to run something like this by themselves, so [my parents] help a lot with keeping track of emails and shipping boxes,” she said. The charity also has ambassadors in several states that help collect and donate dancewear, Sophia said.

The pandemic has not affected any of the logistics of the organization, Sophia said. “We have actually received more emails from people during COVID because so many people are cleaning out their closets and finding old dancewear.”

The Paleys’ work in the dance community has received coverage from some major news networks. Approximately a year ago, the Paleys were interviewed on the Today Show and New York One about Donate2Dance. “Those have been such great moments because we’ve been able to spread our message

Courtesy of Sophia Paley

GIFTS IN THE MAKING The Paleys carry donations. even more,” she said. “Realizing how just a little idea was able to become such a big thing and make such a difference was awesome.”

Since they feel a special connection to New York City, the Paleys have shipped and hand delivered donations to over 40 NYC dance programs, Ava said. Around a year ago, the Paleys went to visit a dance studio in the city called PS 157 to drop off donations. “What was really memorable was that when they came over to us, they were all screaming ‘oh my god, it’s Sophia and Ava,’ and we had no idea they knew who we were or even idolized us,” Sophia said. “It was just such a surprise and it made us so happy to meet all the girls.” The dancers thought the Paley’s were famous for having been on television a week prior, Sophia said.

Sophia and Ava’s work in the dance community extends beyond donating dance supplies. In August, the pair started teaching tap classes over Zoom with girls from Ghana at a dance company called Ballet Ghana, a studio to which they had frequently been donating dancewear, Sophia said. “At first it was just a few girls on Zoom, and then word spread from family to family and more people started showing up,” she said. “We always receive videos and pictures of them opening the boxes we send when they arrive, but to be able to see them dance on Zoom and teach them is amazing.”

Practice makes perfect: Aimee Yang’s (10) artistic journey Jiya Chatterjee Contributing Writer “Visual aesthetic is very important to me, and I think most of my inspiration stems from hoping to capture a perfect, beautiful piece,” Aimee Yang (10) said. Recently, Yang’s artwork has captured the attention of not only her art teachers, but also that of the school’s community through her contributions to the HM Community Gallery.

Yang has been fond of drawing her entire life, but during the past two years, she has begun to explore various mediums and put extra time and effort into her work to become a more serious artist, she said. For Yang, the summer of 2020 was pivotal for her growth. “I drew constantly and was able to develop my personal style,” she said.

As Yang has grown as an artist, her work

has become characterized by its complexity and her ability to merge multiple styles and concepts into one cohesive piece, art teacher Kim Do, who teaches Yang in Drawing and Painting 3, said. “She’s incredibly skilled, and that comes from a combination of talent and a lot of practice” he said.

Creating art is a therapeutic process, Yang said. Her art includes repetition, which makes it thought-provoking, but too much repetition will make it monotonous, she said.

While Yang’s preferred medium is digital art, which allows her to have more control over the colors and textures she uses, Yang also appreciates that her style is constantly evolving. She enjoys challenging herself by exploring charcoal, acrylic, and ink on paper and canvas.

When starting a new piece, Yang usually considers one of two roads depending on the

Courtesy of Aimee Yang

BABY BROTHER ALL GROWN UP Set of acryllic paintings by Yang (10).

medium with which she is working. If she chooses to work with physical materials, she relies more on sketching the outlines of her subject first and then uses the right techniques to produce the perfect final product, she said.

“Visual art, especially painting, is all about the edges — where is there a sharp edge, where is it blended smoothly, what does that indicate?”

However, creating digital illustrations requires an entirely different approach, Yang said. While it is easier to control the outcome of the piece because the texture and other physical imperfections are no longer an issue, platforms for creating digital art have so many techniques and tools that Yang can find it overwhelming. Digital art involves more manipulation and rearrangement of separate digital frames, or layers, which together create a proper image, she said.

Yang’s favorite pieces that she has created are a set of acrylic paintings titled “Baby Brother, All Grown Up,” the subject of which is her younger brother. Expressing herself through art is special because art can be used to represent beautiful themes without words, Yang said. In “Baby Brother, All Grown Up,” Yang tries to convey a theme of nostalgia, she said.

Yang’s artwork tends to have a liveliness to it, said Emma Chan (10), a friend of Yang’s.

Most of Yang’s art is defined by its colorfulness, and usually has some sparkle to it, she said.

“One thing about Aimee is that she has a very positive and bubbly attitude, and I definitely think it is reflected in her artwork.”

Yang’s illustrations can take her anywhere from four to 20 hours of work, depending on the subject’s complexity and level of rendering, she said. Megumi Iwai-Louie (10), who worked with Yang to draw a three-page graphic novel, said that Yang is an extremely hard worker. However, Yang said she tends not to push herself to work for too many

Courtesy of the HM Community Gallery

MASK Yang’s (10) contribution to the gallery. consecutive hours if she can help it to avoid creative burnout.

Yang typically draws inspiration from mangaka, illustrators who draw manga, such as Takeshi Obata, whose most famous manga is “The Death Note,” and Junji Ito, a wellknown horror manga writer.

Yang is always looking to improve her work and has found that taking Drawing and Painting 3 with Do has given her the space not only to create art regularly, but also to receive feedback from teachers, which she said is “incredibly useful for improvement.” In the future, she hopes to establish a more defined style of her own, as well as improve the pace at which she creates art to achieve higher quality and beauty in her work.

7

HORACE MANN NEWS & MIDDLE DIVISION JANUARY 29TH, 2021

Madison Nina (6) step dances

Jackson Feigin/Photo Director

Hannah Katzke Staff Writer

spreading knowledge of different styles of dance.

Nina has already been able to share her The art of step dancing — which uses talent with her advisory this year. “I’d footwork and body movement to create heard how great she was, and I had the beats while dancing — is difficult to master, good fortune to see Madison demonstrate but Madison Nina (6) has fallen in love with her art in advisory one day and was blown the activity, she said. Specifically, Nina’s away by her talent,” history teacher Della love for step dancing comes from the joy Brooks said. she finds in the style’s energy and effort.

Nina first started step dancing in third This year, Nina decided to create a grade, when she took it upon herself to step dancing club in the school’s Middle try a new activity, her mother, Kimberly Division (MD). Now, as the school has Morales P’27 said. Morales was proud Nina resumed in-person learning, she has was taking initiative and happy because been able to host a club meeting with its step dancing was an opportunity to take on members: Marlowe Ross (6), Evelyn Gross a new challenge, she said.

(6), Kamedyne Rouse (6), Kaya Husain (6) When Nina’s dance program ended in and Maggie Duncan (6). mid-2018, she started a dance group of her Gross is excited to study a new style of own with a few of her friends. They danced dance with the help of her friends in the together from 2018-2019, creating their club, she said. “My favorite part of the club own choreography for their performances is how we are a community and help each at local holiday events, Morales said. other learn new dances together.”

While step dancing can be a solo Ross is looking forward to learning performance, Nina has the ability to more about step dancing from Nina and to showcase many different beats at the same the club’s expansion. “Madison is a great time when she performs with her team, dancer and stepper, she is really skilled and Nina said. Her step team performed their a great and patient step teacher,” she said. step dances in front of their friends and Nina hopes that the club will teach its family, she said. members a new skill and that its members While Nina enjoys performing for an will find the same joy in step dancing that audience, her favorite aspect of step she has found in it, she said. She also hopes dancing is that it is a team effort, to impact the school’s community by she said. “You are really building a community and you are allowing everyone to try something new with the help of other people.”

During her first performance, Nina was nervous that she would mess up her steps, she grew more comfortable and confident with each performance, she said. Nina is proud that she is now comfortable showing her step dancing to others and has even been able to teach her own team three new steps for a dance, she said.

“The thing I love most about watching her on stage is that you can tell she gives it her all each and every performance,” Morales said.

However, due to the pandemic, Nina and her club in the school have not been able to practice together in one room until this week, she said.

Nina’s club transitioned to Zoom earlier this year, but it was difficult to practice due to lagging, Nina said. However, the club has made it a priority to make sure that everyone can learn the steps, she said.

Throughout her experience stepping, Nina has looked up to her coaches Molly and Kylie, she said. They have taught her to keep CourtesyofofMadison MadisonNina Nina Courtesy persevering even though learning the steps can be challenging, Nina said.

In the future, Nina hopes that she can expand past her regular performances in front of her advisory, friends, and family.

Eventually, she would like to perform for the entire school one A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Nina (6) dances. day, she said.

DISCUSSING CHOKEHOLD Butler talks about systemic racism and policing.

from Professor Paul Butler page 2 no justice involved.”

Butler also explained the arguments for defunding the police from both a liberal and more “radical” viewpoint. “The radical arguments are centered around the idea that the police are the direct descendants of slave patrols, and they enforce a racial order,” Butler said. “Liberals aim to shift money away from cops and put it towards community service.”

Based on conversations following the event, Butler’s views on abolishing the prison system have sparked varying responses in the community, Braden Queen (10) said. Butler offers provocative and often somewhat radical changes to policing with which Queen said he does not always agree. “I disagree with the overall message that policing is inherently broken.” Instead, Queen said that proper policing with proper reform is a better solution than completely eliminating the incarceration system.

Aside from Butler’s specific arguments, Queen said discussing policing reform is critical, because even though he may disagree with some solutions, America cannot progress without addressing the continued violence of law enforcement towards the African American community, he said. “We have to address [the topic] whether that be through defunding the police or through body camera reforms,” Queen said. “Something has to be done.”

Korff also did not agree with all of Butler’s arguments, he said. “Butler said at the start that some of his ideas were going to be provocative, and I felt like he definitely lived up to that.”

The presentation nevertheless provided Korff with education on the issue of policing, he said. “It increased my conviction that the criminal legal process has to be changed in some way.”

During the discussion, Butler

also discussed how racial biases are instilled in American culture.

“But danger and immortality are not racial,” Butler said. “There is nothing about Black folks that makes us more dangerous than anybody else,” he said.

The Movement for Black Lives gives Butler hope that change may be forthcoming, he said. “From my experience as an activist who attended the Black Lives Matter protests, what I saw were young people, old people, LGBTQ people, straight people, Asian American people, LatinX people, African American people, and white people all coming together to demand change.”

Discussing criminal justice reform is essential, especially after the Black Lives Matter movement gained significant recognition this summer and became more mainstream, Sam Korff (10) said.

“Understanding the issues that

of an eviction crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, this throws into even sharper contrast the systemic discrimination that people of color, specifically many women of color, are up against.”

The event effectively continued the conversation started in the previous speaker series installments, Dolan said. The discussion of what radical overhaul of the police force in our country could look like echoed ideas that were shared explicitly in UD History Series talks by Professors Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Ana Raquel Minian, Dolan said. “This makes me call into question if the more centrist view of defunding is creative enough or sweeping enough.”

Butler’s discussion built upon previous events by furthering the conversation about systemic racism during an especially tense period of time, Link said. “This is

“The reality is that prison doesn’t hold people accountable for the harm they’ve done or make people safer. We talk about the ‘criminal justice system,’ but I don’t like that name at all because there’s actually no justice involved.”

-Paul Butler [activists] are trying to fight is more important than ever.”

Butler said it is up to the citizens of the United States to defend the racial minorities who deal with the fear of being wrongly incarcerated. America will only be successful in reforming the criminal legal process when the percentages of each ethnicity in prison reflect the percentages in all of America, he said.

French teacher Caroline Dolan was struck by Butler’s comparison that eviction is to Black women what mass incarceration is to Black men, she said. “Knowing that New York City is in the midst

a very important idea for students to think about, because it’s not always obvious, the way that structural racism operates.”

Hosting the monthly speaker series is crucial because both the speakers and the discussions that follow can help students understand where the country currently stands, especially regarding issues of race and ethnicity, Link said. “Sometimes, it can be hard to understand how we got to where we are in the present day and how that relates to what we’ve studied in the past,” he said.

“I think that the events have really helped students understand that.”

The Horace Mann Dance Company presents:

The Student Choreographed Dance Concert

Unity Through Motion Friday, January 29th

7:00 PM Celebrating our beautiful community both remote and in school bit.ly/hmtheatredancezoom

Lions’ Den Record Sports

JANUARY 29TH, 2021

8

Bullseye: Shin’s (12) journey in archery

Max Chasin Staff Writer Alexander Shin (12) attended an archery tournament held by his camp, Ramapo Country Day Camp, in third grade. Very few of the attendees knew how to properly shoot, yet Shin enjoyed the experience so much that when he arrived home that day, he asked his parents if he could continue playing the sport, he said. From then on, he consistently attended the archery elective at his camp, which sparked the beginning of his archery career.

Shin is currently a part of the Junior Olympic Archery Development Program, a group that works with archers inside the USA in order to teach them techniques and skills. Together, the participants sign up for tournaments, and shoot together occasionally, he said.

Shin is attracted to archery because it is a relatively atypical sport to play, he said. “I liked the

fact that the sport is slightly different and how it’s off the beaten path.”

At first, Shin did not play archery competitively.

However, in sixth grade, when he was given his first bow, he decided to devote himself to the sport, he said. Shin began shooting frequently at a range called Queens Archery in Flushing, New York.

“A kid named Ian helped me out,” he said. “He was a few years older than I was, and he was very encouraging.” Shin greatly admired Ian, who inspired him to continue playing the sport and to practice regularly so that he could improve, he said.

At competitions, the archers line up at the range and take turns shooting at targets that are a set distance away. An official then walks up to the targets to score each of the shots; the closer to the bullseye the arrow lands, the more points are awarded, Shin said.

“While the events are a very similar style to the practices, there is a large light that flashes as you’re supposed to shoot at the tournaments,

which is very stressful,” Shin said. “There are also a great deal of parents cheering, which creates additional nervousness. However, I always enjoy the competitions, and I’m always excited when I play.”

Lately, COVID-19 has limited Shin’s ability to practice, and in recent months, there have been very few tournaments, Shin said.

“I haven’t been shooting as much as I used to or as much as I want to,” he said. “I can still shoot, but I am required to wear a mask, and the range I normally go to has limits on how many people can attend at once.”

Shin has also had to juggle shooting with college applications and schoolwork but hopes to shoot at his range more frequently during the second semester.

One of Shin’s greatest role models is Kisik Lee, the U.S Olympic archery team’s head coach.

“As a Korean-American, I’ve always thought it was cool seeing another Korean make it so far in American athletics,” he said. “In general, I think

Korea is known for its talent in archery, and I love seeing so much representation and recognition for Koreans in sports.”

JOAD Achievement Pins are awarded by USA archery for accomplishing a certain score. Shin considers his greatest achievement in the sport to be receiving one of these pins for shooting 240 points in 30 shots from 20 meters with an Olympic recurve, a special kind of bow. This pin is one of the most prestigious awards possible to earn in the sport, he said.

Shin is unsure of his plans in archery moving forward, but he is happy to have found an activity he loves, he said. “Beyond trying to simply win awards or use the sport to get into college, I think it’s a fun, enjoyable sport, and it’s something that I genuinely want to continue,” he said. “Wherever I go to school, I’d like to work with USA Archery to set up clubs, and find places where I can continue to compete.”

Scenes from back to school:

Sean Lee/Staff Photographer

Julia Goldberg/Editor-in-Chief

Sean Lee/Staff Photographer

Sean Lee/Staff Photographer

Sean Lee/Staff Photographer

Sean Lee/Staff Photographer

Julia Goldberg/Editor-in-Chief

Sean Lee/Staff Photographer